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6.5-magnitude quake hits Taiwan: CENC

Xinhua | Updated: 2013-03-27 10:50

BEIJING- The strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan this year killed at least one person and injured another 19 on Wednesday, local authorities said.

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit Nantou County at 10:03 am, followed by at least five aftershocks, the Taiwanese meteorological bureau's earthquake monitoring center said.

6.5-magnitude quake hits Taiwan: CENC

Bottles are scattered on the floor on the scene of the earthquake in Nantou county of Taiwan on Wednesday. [Photo/CFP] 

A 72-year-old woman died and at least 19 people were injured, according to the latest tally from local firefighters.

The China Earthquake Networks Center said the quake had a magnitude of 6.5.

The earthquake shook buildings in the city of Taipei and resulted in the temporary suspension of the island's railways. The railways resumed service around 2:30 pm, with more than 30,000 passengers affected by delayed trains.

The Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp. said the quake affected 11 trains, with six forced to stop completely.

According to Kuo Kai-wen, director of the local earthquake monitoring center, Wednesday's quake may be an aftershock from a 7.6-magnitude quake that hit the island on Sept 21, 1999, leaving more than 2,600 people dead.

Kuo said the island is hit by an average of 2.7 quakes with a magnitude of 6 or above annually.

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