Taiwan jolted by 5.8 magnitude quake, no reports of damage

TAIPEI: A deep, 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan's rural northeastern county of Yilan on Wednesday, the island's weather administration said, with no reports of damage.

The quake, which shook buildings in capital Taipei, had a depth of 72.4km (45 miles), the weather administration said.

Taiwan's fire department said there had been no damage reported, including at the island's science parks where much of Taiwan's semiconductor manufacturing takes place.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes.

Taiwan's last major earthquake was in April of last year, a 7.2 magnitude temblor that hit the east coast county of Hualien, killing at least 13 people.

More than 100 people were killed in a quake in southern Taiwan in 2016, and a 7.3 magnitude quake killed more than 2,000 people in 1999.

Since then, Taiwan has updated and enhanced its building code to incorporate quake-resistant construction methods, such as steel bars that allow a building to sway more easily when the ground moves.

Famous for its cutting-edge tech firms, Taiwan has built up an advanced early warning system that can alert the public to potentially serious ground shaking within seconds.

The system has been enhanced over the years to incorporate new tools such as smartphones and high-speed data connectivity, even in some of the most remote parts of the island.

— With additional input from AFP