Quake shakes northern Taiwan, no damage reported

• By Kayleigh Madjar / Staff writer, with CNA

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck Yilan County at 9:53am today, with no immediate reports of damage.

The quake had a depth of 72.4km and was centered 15.5km south-southeast of Yilan County Hall in Suao Township (蘇澳), the Central Weather Administration said.

Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration

Intensities of 3 were felt in parts of New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Taichung, Hsinchu County, Hualien County, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yilan County, it said.

The greatest intensity of 4 was felt in Yilan’s Wuta (武塔) and Taroko National Park in Hualien County, the agency said.

Other regions in northern, central and eastern Taiwan registered intensities of 2, it added.

Apparent shaking was felt in Taipei, whose residents received an alert on their mobile phones to remain calm and seek cover.

Trains on the Taipei MRT reduced speeds in response to the quake.