Earthquake rattles Taiwan, but epicentre out at sea

TAIPEI (Reuters) -A 5.9 magnitude earthquake with its epicentre in the sea off Taiwan’s east coast rattled the island on Tuesday, the island’s weather bureau said, with no immediate reports of damage.

The quake briefly shook buildings in the capital, Taipei. It had a depth of 17.9 km (11.1 miles), and could be felt across the northern, central and eastern parts of Taiwan, the weather bureau added.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates in the South China Sea and is prone to earthquakes.

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.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)