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TAIPEI - A moderate earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale has rattled northeastern Taiwan, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, officials said.
The epicentre of the quake, which struck at 11:05 (1405 NZT), was about 7km east of the city of Yilan on the eastern coast, at a depth of 79km, the Central Weather Bureau said in a statement.
Earthquakes occur frequently in Taiwan, which lies on a seismically active stretch of the Pacific basin.
One of Taiwan's worst-recorded quakes occurred in September 1999. Measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, it killed more than 2400 people and destroyed or damaged 50,000 buildings.
- REUTERS
