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Earthquake rattles Taiwan, no reports of damage

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-12-02 12:00

An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale shook southern Taiwan on Tuesday, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, local officials said.

The epicentre of the quake, which struck at 0316 GMT, was 31 km (19.2 miles) northeast of Chenggong on the east coast, at a depth of 30 km, the island's weather bureau said in a statement.

Earthquakes occur frequently in Taiwan, which lies on a seismically active stretch of the Pacific basin.

One of Taiwan's worst-recorded quakes occurred in September 1999. Measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, it killed more than 2,400 people and destroyed or damaged 50,000 buildings.