6.0 Magnitude Quake Strikes Off Northeastern Taiwan

A strong 6.0-magnitude quake struck off Taiwan early on Sunday, U.S. seismologists said, but no tsunami warning was issued.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a depth of 70 kilometers (40 miles) and hit around 5 am (2100 GMT Saturday), some 50 kilometers east of Su-ao in the northeastern Yilan county.

Taiwan's Seismology Centre recorded the quake, which was felt in Taipei and islandwide, at 6.5 on the Richter scale. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue a warning.

The National Fire Agency said there were no reports of damages or injuries.

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

In September 1999, a 7.6-magnitude tremor killed around 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in Taiwan's recent history.