Powerful earthquake shakes Taiwan

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan Sunday, which followed a 6.4 magnitude earthquake Saturday night, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau.

No causalities have been reported so far from either earthquakes.

Sunday's quake happened around 2:44 pm (0644 GMT), with the epicenter in Taitung county, a town in eastern Taiwan.

Aftershocks were also briefly felt in capital Taipei, which is more than 180 miles (300 kilometers) from the epicenter, after the quake earlier in the day.

The US Geological Survey initially measured Sunday's quake at 7.2 magnitude but later downgraded it to a 6.9 magnitude quake — slightly higher than the reading provided by the Taiwanese authorities.

Japan's Meteorological Agency issued tsunami advisories shortly before the quake but later upgraded their bulletin to say that high waves were no longer a threat.

Buildings damaged, trains derailed

Taiwan's fire department said four people were rescued after the ground floor of a building, which had a 7/11 convenience store, collapsed in Yuli town in eastern Taiwan.

Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) said a train derailed in Dongli station in Hualien, which is one of Taiwan's biggest counties, after part of the platform canopy collapsed.

The railway agency said 20 passengers aboard the derailed train were evacuated and no injuries were reported.

Taiwan is regularly struck by earthquakes as the island sits on the "Ring of Fire'" region of seismic activity around the Pacific Ocean.