TAIPEI: A STRONG 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Taiwan on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said, the biggest tremor to strike the island so far this year.The epicentre of the quake, which occurred at 9.02pm (1302 GMT) was 25 kilometres (15 miles) south-east of the eastern city of Hualien, according to the USGS.
Buildings were shaking for about 20 seconds as far away as the capital Taipei in the northern part of the island. The quake was at a depth of 44.6 kilometres (27.7 miles), according to the USGS.
In the city of Hualien a number of minor incidents were reported in the minutes after the quake. 'There were gas leaks and minor fires and people trapped in elevators,' an official at the Hualien fire department told AFP by telephone.
The fire department also said three people had sought medical help after feeling unwell due to the leakage of an unidentified substance.
Local TV reported that a high-speed railway linking Taipei to the southern city of Kaohsiung had been suspended as a safety precaution. There were also TV reports of interruptions in the power supply in a northern district of Taipei.
