Quake jolts Taiwan
2004-04-27 12:57
Taipei - An earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale rocked eastern Taiwan on Tuesday, seismologists said. There were no reports of damages or casualties.
The tremor hit at 10:08 (GMT) with an epicentre 10.6 kilometres north of the eastern coastal city of Hualien and 30.9 kilometres under the earth's surface, according to the Seismology Centre.
Taiwan, lying near the junction of two tectonic plates, is prone to earthquakes.
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.
The island suffered its worst quake 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.
- AFP