An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter Scale struck the sea area east of Hualien County, Taiwan at 6:48 p.m. Thursday Beijing time, according to China's seismological network.

The epicenter was located at 24.1 degrees north latitude and 122.3 degrees east longitude, about 70 kilometers away from Hualien and 130 km from Taipei, at a depth of around 10 km.

Hualien County is on the eastern coast of the Taiwan island.

(Xinhua News Agency July 17, 2009)