00:00on april 3rd 2024 a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck eastern taiwan the buildings it damaged
00:14and the landslides it triggered killing at least 18 people and leaving deep scars across taiwan's
00:22scenic east coast and in the memories of those who live here it's been one year since that
00:29devastating earthquake and i've come back to hua lian to find out how its impact is still being
00:34felt by communities across this beautiful county 69 year old ju sha lan has spent much of her life
00:43hiking up and down these mountains along taiwan's east coast but a year ago she was forced to see
00:55her ancestral home from a new angle after being airlifted to safety when the earthquake struck
01:00hua lian county
01:01members of the mostly mountain dwelling truku indigenous group numbering some 30 000 ju and
01:17her family used to earn a living guiding tourists around their village but everything changed
01:22after the quake
01:23a year later and ju is still working as a street cleaner but as government sponsored temp work
01:45it's not a permanent solution ju is far from the only member of her community uprooted by the quake
01:52people from indigenous villages across the county came down from their rural mountain homes to more
01:58urban areas like this old street to find work so they can continue earning an income to support their
02:03families before the quake uming loking worked at a hotel inside toroco national park where many of
02:12the most devastating landslides took place after its closure uming with some other young members of his
02:18indigenous community decided to open a cafe outside the park to continue their mission of keeping the
02:24the culture of the truku people alive
02:26the culture of the truku people alive
02:31business owner garao has been a representative for his community for years before the quake he was
02:37working with the local government to build new access paths to his people's remote villages but he says
02:41that since the disaster indigenous communities are feeling left behind
02:48the people who are in the community who are working with local government to help nurse san ge it was
02:54the civil state of the country in seeking to help san ge he has been a representative for his
02:56community for years before the quake he was working with the local government to build new access paths to
03:01communities are feeling left behind.
03:03It's very difficult to make sure that there are a lot of people who don't have to.
03:07For example, the people who don't have to ask for information,
03:12there are some information that they need to send out.
03:16It's very difficult to send out that information.
03:18I don't think that this small part is being put in the back.
03:23The government's sponsored temp work that has been supporting Ju
03:26and many other indigenous people across Hualien
03:29is set to end within months,
03:31with no news yet of extensions.
03:33In the face of financial uncertainties,
03:36and after being forced out of their homes,
03:38this community has come to rely on each other
03:41to make it through one of the worst natural disasters in living memory.
03:47It wasn't just indigenous communities impacted by the quake.
03:51Hualien's economy relies heavily on tourism,
03:54and in the immediate aftermath of the quake,
03:57businesses felt the financial pressure immediately.
04:01A stone's throw from destruction.
04:06This mountainside business, located north of Hualien city,
04:10is lucky to still be here,
04:12after the huge magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Taiwan on April 3rd.
04:17There was a wall from the wall,
04:20and there was a wall from the wall from the wall.
04:23This was a wall from the wall from the wall and the wall.
04:26Because it fell down here and fell down.
04:29Now we're afraid of the wall from the wall to the wall.
04:31and let it fall down.
04:35Do you have anyone here?
04:37Yes, there was someone here.
04:38We were very afraid that the land of the后山 will fall down.
04:41So I would like to invite the people to go to the other side.
04:48Meters away, the main building of the Da Jili Tribal House
04:52still standing, somehow relatively unscathed.
04:58This place was just a platform.
05:00Then the后山 was a wall.
05:03There were some rocks that were on the other side.
05:07I was very lucky.
05:09There were only some rocks that were broken,
05:11and some artists were not good.
05:16But now that the worst of the quakes and aftershocks
05:18seem to have subsided, this business faces another problem.
05:23Usually bustling with customers,
05:24this restaurant and indigenous activity centre is completely deserted.
05:29They've barely had any custom since the quake.
05:33And that's because tourists are now too scared to visit.
05:36We've been able to get a lot of calls,
05:38and we're going to get to the end of the day.
05:40And we're going to get to the end of the day.
05:42We're going to get to the end of the day.
05:44And we're going to get to the end of the day.
05:46It's been almost a year since my last visit to the Dajili Tribal House,
05:50and I've come back to find out how the owners have fared in the time since.
05:54Dajili Tribal House has been starved of income since a deadly 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck here.
06:00A traditional Truku welcome for visitors to this indigenous activity centre and restaurant in eastern Taiwan.
06:07But right now, visitors are few and far between.
06:15Despite being near some of the country's top tourist attractions,
06:18Dajili Tribal House has been starved of income since a deadly 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck here a year ago.
06:25It devastated lives and businesses all along the coast.
06:29And this centre's proprietor, Su-King Kiyoshi,
06:32says there is still a ways to go before business returns to normal.
06:36It's a story repeated across Hualien, home to some of Taiwan's most stunning scenery.
06:54Strongly dependent on tourism, everyone here is feeling the pinch,
06:59from restaurants to cafes, hotels to market vendors.
07:03Dongdanmen night market is usually flooded with tourists.
07:07But now, many of the vendors here have shut up shop,
07:09and those that remain are surviving on a fraction of the income.
07:13This whole business is a lot less than $1,000.
07:16How much?
07:17It's about 50% percent.
07:21Now, many people don't want to go to Hualien.
07:24They say they don't want to go back, because the road is broken.
07:29And fears of blocked roads are not unfounded.
07:33Taiwan is prone to earthquakes and typhoons,
07:36and those have caused landslides in this area known for its geological marvels.
07:41Much of this national park remains inaccessible since last year's quake,
07:45and there are no signs of when it will reopen.
07:57Hualien's tourism bureau is keen to point out that there's more to Hualien than just Taroko Park.
08:03The central and local governments have tried stimulating visits through subsidized stays and benefit concerts,
08:09but with limited success.
08:12Figures from the bureau say the industry has only recovered by about 30 to 40 percent,
08:17but there's a concerted effort to try new methods to get people back.
08:22For example, in our後山, in our後山, in our後山,
08:26we're going to plant some traditional trees to grow up and grow up.
08:32We'll be able to do some new activities in the future.
08:37Now, we're also going to do a low-time travel travel.
08:40The low-time travel travel is to be able to go to our village or to Taito閣.
08:48Feeling like they have to fend for themselves, business owners like Kyosi are doing what they
08:52can to diversify. The loss of visitor confidence in the county leaving many here out of pocket
08:58and some running out of time.
09:03It's been a tough year for this picturesque county on Taiwan's east coast. In the immediate
09:09aftermath of the quake, death and destruction consumed much of life here. In the 12 months
09:15since people have found ways to overcome through mutual support and community projects.
09:21But with the indefinite closure of Turoko National Park, one of the county's biggest attractions,
09:27the future of indigenous communities and businesses here remains uncertain.
09:32Chris Ma, Jeffrey Chen and Rhys Ayers in Hualien for Taiwan Plus.
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