7.0 magnitude earthquake strikes off Taiwan Coast

In Taiwan, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck nearly 32 km off the northeastern coastal city of Yilan last night, the island’s weather administration said, with no immediate reports of major damage. The quake, with a depth of 73 km, was felt across the country and shook buildings in the capital, Taipei. Taipei city’s government said there was no major damage reported in the immediate aftermath, with some isolated cases of damag,e including gas and water leakage and minor damage to buildings. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said in a social media post that authorities had the situation under control and also urged the population to be on alert for aftershocks. More than 100 people were killed in a quake in southern Taiwan in 2016, while a 7.3 magnitude quake killed more than 2,000 people in 1999.