A powerful earthquake, measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale, hit southern Taiwan at 3:57 am Saturday. As of Saturday afternoon, the quake has left seven dead and four hundred injured.
The epicenter of the quake was in the southern city of Kaohsiung. The neighboring city of Tainan was seriously affected.
Five of the seven victims died in collapsed buildings in Tainan.
The quake also caused a power outage which affected 12,000 households. Hundreds in the affected area remain without power. Around 400,000 households have lost access to municipal water, and one thousand households are reportedly without telephone service.
The Taiwan High Speed Rail has suspended service south of Taichung.