Strong 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Taiwan - Tsunami warning

A strong earthquake of magnitude 7.2 occurred today in the southeastern part of Taiwan, which is sparsely populated, the US Geophysical Survey (USGS) said.

For its part, Taiwan's meteorological service reported that the earthquake - which occurred at 14:44 (local time and 09:44 GMT) - had a magnitude of 6.8 degrees, noting that its epicentre was about 50 kilometres north of the city of Taitung and its focal depth 10 kilometres.

The USGS later announced that the earthquake was 6.9 magnitude.

Taiwanese media reported that in the city of Yuli a low building housing a grocery store collapsed and an operation has already begun to evacuate those in the rubble.

The country's Central News Agency broadcast images of panicked city residents running towards the building, which was covered in a thick cloud of dust.

In addition, the company operating Taiwan's railways said that three train cars derailed at Dongli station in the east of the country when part of the platform roof collapsed. About 20 passengers in the cars were evacuated.

The earthquake was felt throughout the country, with buildings shaking in the capital Taipei. China's seismic network centre, for its part, said the earthquake was felt in coastal areas of the country, especially in Fujian, Guangdong, Xiangsu and Shanghai.

After the earthquake, a tsunami warning was issued by the US Tsunami Warning Center. Taiwan authorities do not issue a tsunami warning for earthquakes that are less than 7 degrees magnitude.

According to the US centre, the tsunami waves could reach a distance of 300 km from the earthquake epicentre.

The Japan Meteorological Agency also issued a tsunami warning for a 1 metre high tsunami in part of Okinawa Prefecture.

Earlier today the USGS had announced that a 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck the same area off the east coast of Taiwan on Saturday night.

The earthquake occurred shortly after 21:30 (local time, 16:30 GMT) on Saturday and was centered about 50 kilometers north of the city of Taitung. Its focal depth was 10 kilometres.

After this earthquake there were no reports of casualties or damage, and many aftershocks followed.

Taiwan is located near the point where two tectonic plates meet. More than 100 people were killed in an earthquake in the southern part of the country in 2016, while another 7.3 magnitude earthquake killed more than 2,400 people in 1999.