An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale shook Taiwan in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The earthquake, which struck at 5:03 am Taiwan time, had an epicenter located in the sea off of Keelung City on the northern tip of Taiwan at a depth of 280 kilometers underground.
Shaking could be felt at various intensities throughout the island. In Taipei, shaking intensity ranged from 1 to 2.
Kuo Kai-wen, director of the Central Weather Bureau’s Seismology Center, said that Taiwan is struck by an average of two to three earthquakes measuring above 6.0 on the Richter scale every year. However, Kuo said that Thursday morning’s earthquake is only the first of its scale to hit Taiwan this year. He said that this earthquake will release built up energy, reducing the risk of larger quakes later on.