About an hour ago, a strong earthquake struck to the east of Taiwan, its epicenter just off the coast of popular tourist destination Green Island.

Early reports on the earthquake's magnitude vary. Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau registered a 6.0 magnitude quake, while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) called it a 5.7 tremor, according to BNO News.

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Reports on the quake's depth also differ slightly, but agree that it was approximately 20 km from the earth's surface - a depth that is considered shallow.

The earthquake struck just 34 km from Taitung City, which has a population of more than 100,000. Tremors could be felt all as far away as Kaohsiung City, which is on Taiwan's west coast.

The Central Weather Bureau also reported two other recent earthquakes to the east of Taitung, one on September 30 and again on October 4. The first registered a 4.0 on the Richter scale, the second a 4.8.

According to earthquaketrack.com, Taiwan has experienced 112 earthquakes in the past year. The largest quake in that timespan was the 6.4 magnitude disaster in February that knocked over two high-rise buildings in Tainan City, killing 117 people.

There are no reports yet on the damage caused by today's earthquake.

The public in Taiwan has long been engaged in a debate about the feasibility of the country's nuclear reactors, when, as Taiwan Today put it, "countless fault lines with a north-south axis exist on the island."

The reactor closest to today's earthquake is just over 100 km away from Taitung City, in Maashan. 

Tagsearthquake, Taiwan Earthquake, Taiwan, Taitung City, Green Island, USGS