TAIPEI - A 6.9 MAGNITUDE quake struck in an ocean area north of
the Philippines on Monday and was felt throughout Taiwan, officials
said, but there were no immediate reports of damage and no mass
tsunami warnings.
Philippine authorities forecast little damage after the 10.59am
(0259 GMT) quake that struck 300 km (180 miles) off the Batan
Islands of the Philippines and 314 km (195 miles) southeast of
Taiwan.
Philippine officials warned people on the coast to watch for a
tidal surge, though it was unlikely to cause casualties or damage,
while the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center advised that local
tsunamis on coastlines within 100 km (60 miles) of the quake's
centre were possible.
The United States Geological Survey put the quake at a depth of
10 km (six miles), while Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau said it
was 20 km (12 miles) deep and registered 6.6 on the Richter scale,
which is the local measurement standard.
The quake shook buildings in Taiwan's capital, Taipei.
Taiwan's TSMC, the world No 1 contract chipmaker, said the quake
had no impact on its plants in northern Taiwan. UMC, the world No 2
chipmaker, also reported no impact.
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. - Reuters.