5.9-magnitude quake rattles Taiwan

TAIPEI, June 11 (AFP): A magnitude-5.9 offshore earthquake rattled Taiwan on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said, with AFP journalists reporting buildings shaking in the capital Taipei.

Firefighters were dispatched to check the impact of the moderate quake, which hit 71 kilometres (44 miles) south of Hualien City. It struck off the island's east coast at a depth of about 31 kilometres, the USGS said.

"When the earthquake struck, the computer screen and fan shook heavily," said a firefighter in the coastal town of Chenggong. "It was much stronger than previous quakes. I immediately thought about running outside," he told AFP.

The Hualien and Taitung fire departments told AFP there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Evening services along the eastern railway line were running normally after the quake, which the USGS reported hit at 7:00 pm (1100 GMT).

Taitung firefighter Andrew Liu said 25 firefighters, including volunteers, and five vehicles had been dispatched to coastal areas closest to the epicentre to check for damage. "Because the area is remote and distances between locations are long, it will take more time to reach each site," Liu told AFP.

Taiwan is frequently hit by earthquakes due to its location on the edges of two tectonic plates near the Pacific Ring of Fire, which the USGS says is the most seismically active zone in the world.

The last major earthquake occurred in April 2024 when the island was hit by a deadly 7.4-magnitude tremor that officials said was the strongest in 25 years.