An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale hit eastern Taiwan Province at 04:35 today (2035 GMT), according to a bulletin released by the Hong Kong Observatory.

The epicenter was initially determined to be 23.3 degrees north latitude and 121.5 degrees east longitude, about 70 kilometers north-northeast of Taitung, a major town in the east of the island province.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damages.

(Xinhua News Agency February 18, 2008)