Taiwan rattled by strong tremors

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA) – Taiwan has been rattled by two strong tremors since late Thursday, officials said on Friday.

According to the country's Central Weather Administration (CWA), a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit the eastern coast of the island nation on Friday at 07.35 a.m. local time (2335GMT, Thursday).

However, the US Geological Survey (USGS) measured the quake’s magnitude as 6.1 on the Richter scale.

Hsu Li-wen, deputy director of the CWA Seismological Center, said Taiwan was hit by an earthquake late Thursday.

The CWA said Thursday's earthquake had a magnitude of 5.7 and occurred at 05.07 p.m. local time (0907GMT).

Hsu explained that the earthquakes were caused by the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate in the Forearc region, according to the online media outlet Focus Taiwan.