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Digital News Report – Several earthquakes hit the country of Taiwan Monday with the largest being 6.5 on the Richter scale. This earthquake struck at 10:59 AM local time and was centered 150 miles of south-southwest of Ishigaki-jima, Ryukyu Islands, Japan and 165 miles east-southeast of T’ai-tung, Taiwan.
Over 5 hours earlier another earthquake (or possible pre-quake) struck 50 miles east-northeast of Ishigaki-jima. Another 4.6 magnitude hit at 12:09 PM approximately 155 miles south-southwest of Ishigaki-jima.
Ishigaki-jima is a small island between Taiwan and Okinawa Japan.
Taiwan is seismically active with 42 active faults on the island. It is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire where most of the world’s largest earthquakes occur.
The buildings swayed up to 20 seconds, according to one report. There were no reports of immediate damage or casualties.
Many earthquakes strike Taiwan but most are small. A 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit the center of the island in 1999 killing 2,413 people. Today’s quake was centered in the ocean but the USGS says that a tsunami is unlikely.
By; Mark Williams