Magnitude 4.7 earthquake shakes eastern Taiwan

Taipei, Jan. 22 (CNA) A magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Taitung County in eastern Taiwan at 4:11 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The epicenter of the temblor was located at sea 101.2 kilometers south-southeast from Taitung County Hall, at a depth of 18.1 km, CWA data showed.

The intensity of the quake, gauging the actual effect of a seismic event, was highest on the outlying Orchid Island, where it measured a 4 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. There were no immediate reports of damage on the island.

Meanwhile, the highest intensity on the island of Taiwan was a 2 in Pingtung County of southern Taiwan, according to the CWA.

Southern Taiwan has been shaken by several earthquakes in recent days, starting with a magnitude 6.4 earthquake that rocked a mountainous area near the Chiayi County-Tainan border on Jan. 21 at 12:17 a.m.

Another 25 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or higher have hit the Chiayi/Tainan area since then, but the CWA said Wednesday's temblor of Taiwan's southeastern coast was unrelated to those quakes.

(By Wu Kuan-hsien) enditem/ls