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Earthquake hits off Taitung City, no damage reported

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck about 60km off the coast of Taitung City at 7pm last night. Originating 5km below the sea floor, the relatively shallow quake measured 4 on the Richter scale in Taitung and Hualien counties, the Central Weather Bureau said.

Taipei, meanwhile, was shaken by magnitude 1 tremors from the quake, while the nation's second-largest city, Kaohsiung, experienced 2-magnitude tremors, the bureau's Web site said.

Buildings swayed in the capital, located approximately 210km northwest of the epicenter, but no damage or casualties were reported at press time.

Yesterday's quake followed a 7.2-magnitude quake on Dec. 26 off the coast of Pingtung County, on the country's west coast. Measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale in Pingtung and Kaohsiung counties, that quake, along with multiple powerful aftershocks, knocked out telephone and Internet services in the region.

Two deaths and scores of injuries were also reported in Pingtung County, where at least two buildings collapsed amid the magnitude 6 aftershocks.

Chunghwa Telecom, the nation's largest telecommunications company, continues to repair quake-damaged fiber optic cables on the seabed near Taiwan a month after the massive quake, local media said.

Yesterday's quake didn't further disrupt telecommunications services.

Located on a seismically active stretch on the Pacific Basin, Taiwan is frequently shaken by tremors, but few are severe. The nation's last severe earthquake was on Sept. 21, 1999. Measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale on land, that quake killed 2,400 people and left thousands more injured or homeless.
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