A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Monday in Taiwan's east, 38 kilometres south of Hualien city, the US Geological Survey said.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The quake had an estimated depth of 10 kilometres, according to USGS, and struck at 09:05 local time (0105 GMT).

An AFP reporter in Taipei felt shaking, and local media said the quake was felt across the island.

The Taipei Metro stopped briefly when it hit, according to one passenger, before continuing at reduced speed for several stops.

A second smaller tremor hit about half an hour later, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau.

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

The island does not issue tsunami warnings unless a quake is more than magnitude 7.0.

Some earthquakes of 6.0 or more can prove deadly, although much depends on where the quake strikes and at what depth.

But the USGS gave a "green" ranking to the threat posed by the latest quake, predicting a low likelihood of either casualties or damage.

Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest

Tweet

Lab earthquakes show how grains at fault boundaries lead to major quakes
Pasadena CA (SPX) Jun 13, 2022
By simulating earthquakes in a lab, Caltech engineers have provided strong experimental support for a form of earthquake propagation now thought responsible for the magnitude-9.0 earthquake that devastated the coast of Japan in 2011. Along some fault lines, which are the boundaries of tectonic plates, a fine-grained gravel is formed as the plates grind against one another. The influence of this gravel on earthquakes has long been the subject of scientific speculation. In a new paper appearin ... read more