Northeast Taiwan rattled by moderate quake

TAIPEI, Dec 14 (Reuters) An apparently moderate earthquake rattled northeast Taiwan today, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, officials said.

Details of the quake's strength and epicentre were not immediately available, but buildings in the capital Taipei swayed slightly.

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.

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