Taiwan: Strong earthquake injured 14 people

On December 19, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck near Hualien City, 135km from Taiwan's Chinese capital (China), injuring 14 people but without warning about the tsunami. .

The car was broken because the water tank on the roof of the building fell during the earthquake in Taipei.(Photo: AFP / VNA)

The Taiwan Fire Department said all of them were only slightly injured, of which 13 were ill from inhaling leaked gas from a hotel. The remaining victims were injured by debris falling from the ceiling.

The US Geological Survey is a seismic center located 45km off the east coast of Taiwan, 45km from Hualien.

The local television station said the buildings in Taipei had been shaken for several seconds after the earthquake struck. Service of high-speed rail and subway trains in Taiwan also halted operation.

Earthquakes often occur in Taiwan but are mostly small. However, the magnitude 7.6 earthquake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.