TAIPEI (AFP) — An undersea earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale jolted Taiwan on Friday, the central weather bureau said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
The tremor struck at 01:51 am (1751 GMT Thursday) and was centred 75 kilometres (46.5 miles) east of Nanao in northeastern coastal Ilan county at a depth of 27 kilometres.
The quake, which could be felt in most parts of the island, swayed high-rise buildings and woke many people from their sleep. It was followed by an aftershock with a magnitude of 5.7 four minutes later, the bureau said.
Lu Pei-ling, a spokeswoman for the bureau's seismology centre, told reporters it was the most powerful quake this year.
The Ilan county fire department said there was no report of injuries or major damages except that of a collapsing temple arch.
Taiwan, which lies near the junction of two tectonic plates, is regularly shaken by earthquakes.
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