The Eye on Taiwan news staff
At least 12 earthquakes, including a magnitude-5.8 one, rocked eastern Taiwan in two hours late Sunday, according to the seismology center of the Central Weather Bureau.
The tremors started shaking the eastern county of Hualien at 8:36 pm, with a magnitude-5.1quake recorded at 9:12 pm, followed by a magnitude-5.8 at 9:56 pm, and a 5.5 at 10:13 pm, the bureau said, adding the rest ranged from 3.4 to 4.7.
The epicenter of the magnitude 5.8 quake was located 27.8 kilometers northeast of the Hualien County Hall at a depth of around 16 kilometers, the bureau said.
Intensity 3 was reported in central and northern Taiwan, including Taipei, sending some people living in high-rise buildings fleeing into the streets in panic.
Three smaller jolts were reported earlier in the day, the bureau said, adding more than 8 aftershocks were recorded after 10:16 pm.
The series of tremors in the night time shook off a water tower in New Taipei City but no people were injured, police said, adding no major damage or casualties were reported so far.
