Rescue workers block off the area to search for survivors outside a building which tilted to one side after its foundation collapsed in Hualien after a strong 6.4-magnitude quake rocked eastern Taiwan early on February 7, 2018. AFP FILE PHOTO
TAIPEI — A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck close to Taiwan’s east coast city of Hualien on Monday, the island’s weather bureau said, with no immediate reports of damage.
The quake briefly shook buildings in the capital, Taipei. It had a depth of 30.2 km (18.8 miles), and could be felt across the northern and eastern parts of Taiwan, the weather bureau added.
Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates in the South China Sea and is prone to earthquakes.
More than 100 people were killed in a quake in southern Taiwan in 2016, while a 7.3 magnitude quake killed more than 2,000 people in 1999.
RELATED STORIES
Taiwan rattled by quakes, no immediate reports of damage
Strong earthquake strikes off Taiwan’s east coast