Strong quake strikes northeast Taiwan: weather bureau

A strong earthquake struck northeastern Taiwan on Sunday, with residents reporting violent shaking in the capital Taipei.

Taiwan's central weather bureau said the quake was of magnitude 6.5 while the US Geological Survey gave a lower strength of 6.2.

It struck northeastern Yilan county at 1.11 pm (0511 GMT) at a depth of 67 kilometres (42 miles).

An AFP reporter in Taipei said the shaking seemed to last roughly 10 seconds and felt like the strongest earthquake of the year so far.

Taiwan is regularly hit by quakes as the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates.

Some earthquakes of this magnitude can prove deadly, although much depends on where the quake strikes and at what depth.

Hualien, a scenic tourist hotspot, was struck by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in 2018 that killed 17 people and injured nearly 300.

In September 1999, a 7.6-magnitude quake killed around 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island's history.

However, a 6.2 earthquake struck in December 2020 in Yilan with no major damage or injuries reported.