5.6-magnitude quake strikes northeast Taiwan

Baku. 12 May. REPORT.AZ/ Buildings shook in Taiwan’s capital Taipei on Thursday as a 5.6-magnitude quake hit off the island’s northeast coast, with strong aftershocks.

The shallow quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles) at 11:17am (0317) GMT, just east of the coastal city of Yilan, 60 kilometres from Taipei, Report informs the US Geological Survey said.

There were only reports of minor damage according to Yilan fire department.

It comes after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in February left 117 dead when an apartment complex collapsed in the southern city of Tainan.

That quake also raised questions over shoddy construction, five people have been charged over the deadly building collapse.

There were also reports by local media of power cuts and people trapped in lifts, with children fleeing screaming from classrooms in Yilan.

A 5.5 aftershock swayed buildings in Taipei around 12:30 pm, its epicentre also just off Taiwan’s northeast coast, USGS added.