Taiwan hit by third earthquake in three days

Tremor of 5.6 magnitude happened 2km underground

A Taiwanese resident inspects the damaged Gaoliao bridge that collapsed after a magnitude 6. 8 earthquake hit Yuli Township; in Hualien County, Taiwan, 19 September 2022. The series of earthquakes anShow more

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Taiwan on Monday, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said.

The earthquake was 2 kilometres below the earth's surface.

The earthquake came just a day after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit the sparsely populated south-eastern part of Taiwan, the island's weather bureau said.

Sunday's quake derailed train carriages, caused a convenience store to collapse and trapped hundreds of people on mountain roads.

The weather bureau said the epicentre was in Taitung county, and followed a 6.4 magnitude tremor on Saturday evening in the same area, which caused no casualties.

The US Geological Survey measured it at a magnitude 7.2 and a depth of 10km.

Taiwan's fire department said one person had died and 146 were injured by the quake.