TAIPEI ? (UPDATE) A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit central Taiwan on Thursday, the government said, with initial reports stating that one person had suffered minor injuries.

The quake struck at 5:32 p.m. (0932 GMT) in Nantou county, the Central Weather Bureau said. It could be felt as far away as Taipei in the north of the island.

A high-speed railway running down the island's west coast was halted due to the quake, according to TVBS cable news network.

An official at the National Fire Agency said a female student in Taiping city, central Taiwan, suffered minor injuries to her head when she was hit by debris falling from the ceiling of her classroom.

The quake also caused cracks to several houses and power shortages in dozens of homes in the area, the official told AFP by telephone.

Two smaller earthquakes, measuring 4.7 and 3.6, hit central Taiwan within 25 minutes of the first quake, the Central Weather Bureau said.