Earthquake Strikes Taiwan's Hualien County

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan's east coast county of Hualien. No immediate damage reports were available. The quake tremors reached Taipei. Taiwan, located near two tectonic plates, frequently experiences earthquakes. In April, a significant quake in Hualien led to fatalities and injuries.

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan's sparsely populated east coast county of Hualien on Saturday, according to the island's weather administration. No immediate reports of damage have been reported.

The seismic activity caused buildings to shake in the capital, Taipei. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 17 km (10.6 miles) as per the weather administration. Taiwan's proximity to the junction of two tectonic plates makes it prone to frequent earthquakes.

In April, Hualien was impacted by the most significant earthquake in Taiwan in 25 years, resulting in nine deaths and over 900 injuries, followed by thousands of aftershocks. More than 100 people were killed in a southern Taiwan earthquake in 2016, and in 1999, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake claimed over 2,000 lives.

(With inputs from agencies.)