Strong earthquake strikes Taiwan

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck southern Taiwan early yesterday, leaving 27 people with minor injuries and some reported damage.

The quake hit at 12.17am and was centered 38 kilometers southeast of Chiayi County Hall at a depth of 10km, Taiwan's Central Weather Administration said.

There were scattered reports of minor to moderate damage around the cities of Chiayi and Tainan.

Among the 27 injured were six people, including a 1-month-old baby, who were rescued from a collapsed house in the Nanxi district of Tainan. The Zhuwei bridge on a provincial highway was reported to be damaged.

No deaths were immediately reported, though rescuers were still assessing damage.

The quake caused a fire at a printing factory in Chiayi, but it was extinguished, and there were no reports of injuries.

Last April, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit the island's mountainous eastern coast of Hualien, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 1,000 others. The strongest earthquake in 25 years was followed by hundreds of aftershocks.

Associated Press