6.5 Quake, Followed By 5.4 Quake Hits Taiwan

Magnitude 6.5, 5.4 earthquakes rock northeastern Taiwan

Update

＊Strong quakes leave several injured, transport disrupted

＊Aftershocks expected in coming days after year's strongest earthquake

Taipei, Oct. 24 (CNA) A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck northeastern Taiwan at 1:11 p.m. Sunday, which was followed seconds later by a 5.4 quake, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries, according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).

The epicenter of the first quake was located in Nan'ao Township, about 22.7 kilometers south of Yilan County Hall, at a depth of 66.8 km, the CWB's Seismology Center said.

The epicenter of the second quake was also located in Yilan, in Datong Township, around 16.6 km south of the county hall, at a depth of 67.3 km.

The first earthquake's highest intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, hit 4 on Taiwan's 7-tier scale in several areas in northern and northeastern Taiwan, including Keelung, the Greater Taipei area, Taoyuan, Yilan, and the northern part of Hualien County.

The initial quake was felt in the mountainous inland areas of Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, and Nantou, where it also measured 4.

The first quake also measured an intensity of 3 in Changhua, Taitung, and Chiayi, and an intensity of 2 in southern Taiwan's Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung, as well as in the offshore county of Penghu in the Taiwan Strait, CWB data showed.

The second tremor was felt in Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, and Nantou counties, as well as in New Taipei, Taoyuan and Taichung. In all of those areas it measured 3. 

Taiwan earthquake: Preliminary 6.5-magnitude quake strikes Taiwan's northeastern coast

Eric Cheung,

A 6.5-magnitude quake has struck Taiwan, according to preliminary data from the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC). 

The EMSC said the quake struck at a depth of some 60 kilometers, about 65 kilometers northeast of Hualien City on Taiwan's northeastern coast.

Tremors from the quake could be felt as far away as Taipei, Taiwan's capital, according to a CNN producer there.

This is a developing story. More details soon.