Taiwan's east coast hit by 5.3 magnitude earthquake

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan's east coast on March 21, causing buildings in the capital Taipei to shake briefly but with no immediate reports of damage.

The epicentre of the earthquake was in the sparsely populated eastern county of Hualien with a depth of 7.2 km (4.5 miles), the weather bureau said, according to Reuters.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes.