A 6.9 magnitude quake struck in an ocean area north of the Philippines today and was felt throughout Taiwan, officials said, but there were no immediate reports of damage and no mass tsunami warnings.
Philippine authorities forecast little damage after the quake that struck 300km off the Batan Islands of the Philippines and 314km southeast of Taiwan.
Philippine officials warned people on the coast to watch for a tidal surge, though it was unlikely to cause casualties or damage, while the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre advised that local tsunamis on coastlines within 100km of the quake's centre were possible.
The United States Geological Survey put the quake at a depth of 10km, while Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau said it was 20 km deep and registered 6.6 on the Richter scale, which is the local measurement standard.
The quake shook buildings in Taiwan's capital, Taipei.
One of Taiwan's worst-recorded quakes occurred in September 1999. Measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, it killed more than 2,400 people and destroyed or damaged 50,000 buildings.
Reuters