Magnitude 5.9 earthquake jolts Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan (3rd UPDATE) – A magnitude 5.9 earthquake rattled Taiwan on Thursday, August 8, the US Geological Survey said, disrupting traffic and causing power outages although there were no immediate reports of casualties.

The quake struck at 5:28 am (2128 GMT Wednesday) at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), off Yilan county on the northeastern coast.

Taiwan’s central weather bureau put the magnitude at 6.0.

High-rises swayed in the capital Taipei, waking people from their sleep.

We’ve started the day with a magnitude 6 quake! It really rocked northern #Taiwan. Fortunately, initial reports indicate no loss of life & all is well. JW pic.twitter.com/TOgr8m1XkG

— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan)  (@MOFA_Taiwan) August 7, 2019

Authorities said the quake was felt across Taiwan, causing power outages to more than 1,300 houses in the greater Taipei area while the Taiwan Railways Administration has suspended some services in Yilan.

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

In April, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit the island, disrupting traffic and injuring 17 people.

Taiwan’s worst tremor in recent decades was a magnitude 7.6 quake in September 1999 that killed around 2,400 people. – Rappler.com