Strong quake kills one in Taiwan

TAIPEI – A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan Sunday, killing one person and violently shaking building in the capital Taipei, officials said.

The powerful quake sent people running into the streets and was also felt in Hong Kong, more than 700 kilometers away.

The tremor hit at 1:43 pm (0543 GMT) centered 32 kilometers (20 miles) east of central Nantou country at a depth of 10 kilometers, Taiwan’s Seismology Center said.

The National Fire Agency said a male mountain climber was killed after being hit by falling rocks on Mount Ali in central Taiwan.

The agency told AFP that four helicopters had been sent to scout the epicenter area as the authorities were waiting for possible further damage information.

Nantou county was the epicenter of a 7.6-magnitude quake in September 21, 1999 that killed around 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island’s recent history.