Moderate quake strikes off Taiwan

A 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck off Taiwan today, shaking buildings in the capital city, but there were no reports of damage or casualties. The quake struck at 2:49 pm (0649 GMT), 152 kilometres east-southeast of Taipei, with a depth of 73.3 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said. Taiwan’s Seismology Centre put the quake’s magnitude at 5.6. Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is regularly hit by earthquakes. A 5.9-magnitude quake in February sent people rushing onto the streets of the island’s second-largest city of Kaohsiung and led to a temporary suspension of rail services. No major damage was reported.