Taiwan was struck by a 5.9 magnitude earthquake Tuesday evening, the United States Geological Survey reported. 

The earthquake was detected about 71 kilometers (44.1 miles) south of Hualien City at a depth of 31.1 kilometers (19.3 miles), the agency said. 

Hualien is relatively thinly populated compared to the highly congested western side of the island of 23 million people, which is frequently struck by quakes.

The quake hit seconds after cell phone alarms went off at 7:01 p.m. Buildings in the capital of Taipei shook for about a minute. There were no immediate reports of major damage. 

Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration gave the magnitude as 6.4. Such variations are common given differences in sensitivity and detector locations.

Taiwan lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean from Chile to New Zealand where most of the world’s earthquakes occur. 

Taiwan’s worst modern quake, a 1999 magnitude 7.7 temblor that killed 2,415 people, damaged buildings and led to tightened building codes, better response times and coordination and widespread public education campaigns on earthquake safety. 

Schools and workplaces hold earthquake drills, while cellphones buzz whenever a strong earthquake is detected. Earthquake damage since then has been significantly reduced. 

Source: AP

--Agencies