Earthquake of 6.1 magnitude hits Hualien in Taiwan

Taipei, Apr 18: An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter Scale hit east Taiwan on Thursday, said reports. The quake shook buildings in the capital, Taipei, which is about 115 kilometers from the epicentre.

The earthquake is said to have hit the coastal city of Hualien. The epicenter was located just over 10 kilometers northwest of the eastern coastal city of Hualien, reported AP.

There are no reports of any damage so far.

Taiwan lies in a seismically active zone, also know as the Pacific Ring of Fire. Most of the earthquakes registered in Taiwan actually occur off the east coast. Geologists are of the opinion that mist earthquakes in Taiwan are due to the convergence of the Philippine Sea plate and the Eurasian Plate to the east of the island.

More than 100 people were killed in an earthquake in the island's south in 2016, and a quake of 7.6 magnitude killed more than 2,000 people in 1999.

Between 1901 and the year 2000 there were 91 major earthquakes in Taiwan, 48 of them resulting in loss of life.