Taiwan was shocked by an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale, the US Geological Survey said, according to AFP.

Firefighters were sent to check the impact of the moderate quake, which struck 71 km south of the city of Hualien.

It struck off the east coast of the island at a depth of about 31 km, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Fire departments in Hualien and Taitung reported no damage or casualties so far.

Evening services on the eastern railway line were running normally after the earthquake, which according to the USGS occurred at 7 p.m. (1 p.m. Bulgarian time).

Taidong firefighter Andrew Liu said 25 firefighters, including volunteers, and five vehicles had been dispatched to coastal areas closest to the epicenter to check for damage.

“As the area is remote and the distances between locations are long, it will take more time to reach every location,” Liu said. | BGNES