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TAIPEI, Taiwan >> A strong earthquake struck Taiwan on Sunday, causing minor damage in the southern part of the island. There were no immediate reports of casualties and no tsunami warning was issued.
Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau said the quake struck at 10:35 a.m. (0235 GMT) in a mountainous area just inland from the coastal city of Pingtung, with a magnitude of 6.1.
The U.S. Geological Survey put the quake’s magnitude at 5.9 and said it had a depth of 2.9 miles (4.7 kilometers).
Taiwan television showed pictures of minor damage in the Pingtung area. TV reports said high-speed rail service had been temporarily suspended out of the southern city of Kaohsiung, north of Pingtung.
Earthquakes frequently rattle Taiwan, but most are minor and cause little or no damage. However, a magnitude-7.6 earthquake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.
