Earthquake Rocks Eastern TaiwanAn earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale hit eastern Taiwan but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, seismologists said Monday.The quake struck at 2:50 p.m.(0650 GMT) with the epicenter 27.9 kilometers (17.3 miles) east of Taiwan's eastern Alien city. It originated 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) below the earth's surface. The temblor came after six quakes in the eastern part of the island on Friday and one on Saturday, ranging between 4.7 and 5.7 on the Richter scale. According to data compiled by the Central Weather Bureau's Seismology Center, the Alien area on the east coast of the island is hit by a quake with a magnitude greater than 6.0 every three to five years. On June 11, a quake measuring 6.7 hit central Taiwan, killing two people and injuring 36. Minor tremors and aftershocks have been a daily occurrence on the island since a deadly quake on September 21 last year, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, which killed 2,400 people. The September quake was the biggest to hit the island in 100 years. |
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