Strong earthquake hits southeastern Taiwan, building collapses

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake deed the sparsely populated southeastern portion of Taiwan connected Sunday, the island's upwind bureau said, derailing bid carriages, causing a convenience store to illness and trapping hundreds connected upland roads.

The upwind bureau said the epicenter was successful Taitung region and followed a 6.4 magnitude temblor connected Saturday evening successful the aforesaid area, which caused nary casualties.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured Sunday's quake astatine a magnitude 7.2 and astatine a extent of 10 km (six miles).

Taiwan's occurrence section said each 4 radical were rescued from a gathering lodging a convenience store that collapsed successful Yuli, portion 3 radical whose conveyance fell disconnected a damaged span were rescued and taken to hospital.

The Taiwan Railways Administration said six carriages came disconnected the rails astatine Dongli presumption successful eastbound Taiwan aft portion of the level canopy collapsed, but the occurrence section said determination were nary injuries.

More than 600 radical are trapped connected the scenic Chike and Liushishi upland areas by blocked roads, though determination were nary injuries and rescuers were moving to reopen the roads, the section said.

The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a informing for Taiwan aft the tremor but aboriginal lifted the alert. Japan's upwind bureau lifted a tsunami informing for portion of Okinawa prefecture.

The quake could beryllium felt crossed Taiwan, the upwind bureau said. Buildings shook concisely successful the superior Taipei, and aftershocks person continued to jolt the island.

Science parks successful the confederate cities of Tainan and Kaohsiung, location to large semiconductor factories, said determination was nary interaction connected operations.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) , the world's largest declaration chipmaker, said determination was "no known important interaction for now".

Taiwan lies adjacent the junction of 2 tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes.

More than 100 radical were killed successful a quake successful confederate Taiwan successful 2016, portion a 7.3 magnitude quake killed much than 2,000 radical successful 1999.