5.6-magnitude quake hits off Taiwan

Taiwan has been rattled by a 5.6 magnitude earthquake but there have been no reports of damage or injury.

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake has rattled Taiwan, shaking buildings in the capital, the Seismology Centre said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The centre said the quake struck at 8.19pm local time on Wednesday (2319 AEDT) with its epicentre 67 kilometres east of the eastern city of Hualien, at a depth of 16.2 kilometres.

It said residents on many parts of the island felt tremors but no tsunami warning was issued.

The island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is regularly hit by earthquakes.

A strong 6.3-magnitude quake which hit central Taiwan in June last year killed four people and caused widespread landslides.

A 7.6-magnitude quake struck the island in September 1999 and killed around 2400 people.