Late Wednesday, the disaster management command centre said the search for the hotel workers on their way to Taroko Gorge, a national park, was a major focus for them. Authorities planned to send in drones and helicopters to look for them and drop supplies if they are located.
Others who had been trapped are gradually being found and taken to safety.
On Thursday, a helicopter rescued six people who had been trapped in a mining area, the fire department said.
The railway line to Hualien also re-opened ahead of schedule on Thursday, though one rural station north of Hualien city remains closed due to damage, the railway administration said.
In Hualien city, where rescue work for people who had been trapped in buildings was now completed, some people slept outdoors overnight as dozens of aftershocks rocked the region.
