Two moderate earthquakes rattle Taiwan

Two moderate earthquakes, one measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, rocked Taiwan on Sunday, the Seismology Centre said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Two moderate earthquakes, one measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, rocked Taiwan on Sunday, the Seismology Centre said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

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Both quakes could be felt around the island, according to the centre.

The latest one hit at 2:10 pm (0610 GMT), with an epicentre 15 kilometres (9.0 miles) north of eastern Yuli town at a depth of 3.0 kilometres.

The first struck at 9:00 am (0100 GMT), with an epicentre 37 kilometres (22 miles) southeast of the central Mingchien township at a depth of 13 kilometres, the centre said.

Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes as the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates. A 7.6-magnitude quake killed around 2,400 people in September 1999.