Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) Taiwan's ambassador to Haiti was injured but was in stable condition and one Taiwanese businessman was unaccounted for after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesman said Wednesday.
Hsu Mien-sheng, Taiwan's ambassador to the Caribbean country, sustained a broken bone and an embassy employee suffered a minor back injury, but was in good condition while all Taiwan nationals in Haiti are safe except for one businessman who was reported missing, said MOFA spokesman James Chang.
Chang said an inter-agency task force has been established to coordinate rescue effort and donations as Taiwan's government plans to send out rescue teams and humanitarian supplies as soon as possible, with the first rescue team scheduled to leave for Haiti Wednesday night.
President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Wu Den-yih extended condolences to victims in the Caribbean ally, Chang said.
There are currently around 30 Taiwanese nationals in Haiti, including four or five businessmen, 13 members of a technical mission and diplomats, Chang said.
With communications erratic in some regions, the MOFA is still trying to get in touch with the missing businessman, he said.
The two-story building of Taiwan's Embassy in Port-au-Prince collapsed in the quake, he added.
Mario Chouloute, Haiti's Ambassador to Taiwan, told the media that Haiti is looking for Taiwan's help to provide camping equipment, rescue teams and medical assistance.
MOFA has requested Taiwan's Embassy in the Dominican Republic, which shares a border with Haiti, collect information on damage and offer as much assistance as possible, Chang said.
Officials at the Taipei City Fire Department said that a rescue team from the city is ready to depart for Haiti whenever necessary to help with earthquake response efforts.
Meanwhile, World Vision Taiwan, a non-governmental organization currently providing aid for 7,500 children in four regional programs in Haiti, said it is still gathering information of damage and casualty and is in close contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Red Cross Society and World Vision Haiti.