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Thursday, August 9, 2007

Preliminary reports by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) say that a magnitude 5.3 earthquake has struck Taiwan at 00:55 UTC (8:55 a.m. local time). Other reports say that the magnitude was 5.7.

The epicenter was reported to be 40 kilometers (25 miles) east, northeast of Kao-hsiung, Taiwan at a depth of 35 km (21.7 miles), but the Central Weather Bureau in Taiwan says that the depth was only 5 km.

So far there are no reports of damage, injuries or deaths, but reports say that buildings located in Taipei swayed and shook during the quake.

Taiwan is currently recovering from tropical storm ‘Pabuk’ and is expected to be hit by another one named ‘Wutip’.

The quake struck just after the Wikimedia Foundation held its third annual Wikimania convention in downtown Taipei.

In September of 1999, 2300 people were killed in central Taiwan after a magnitude 7.6 quake. Another quake in 2006 struck just off the shores of Kao-hsiung with a magnitude of 6.7, which severed telephone and internet lines in the sea.