A powerful earthquake measuring six on the Richter scale hit Taiwan on Sunday, shaking buildings in Taipei, the Seismology Centre said. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
The tremor struck at 2.04pm local time, with an epicentre 64,3km east of Chengkung, a coastal town in the southeast of the island.
Its focus was 12,5km below sea level.
Taiwan, lying near the junction of two tectonic plates, is prone to earthquakes. A quake with a magnitude of 5,8 shook Taiwan on May 1, killing two Taiwanese and injuring a Canadian tourist.
The island suffered its worst in a century on September 21 1999, when a quake measuring 7,6 on the Richter scale struck central Taiwan, leaving 2 400 people dead.
A powerful quake with a magnitude of 6,6 shook Taiwan on December 10 2003, but caused only minor injuries and damage in some southern cities. — Sapa-AFP