Taiwan hit by magnitude 6.7 earthquake

A 6.7 magnitude earthquake has struck Taiwan, with no reports of fatalities or major damage at this stage.

The quake was initially recorded as a 6.9 magnitude tremor before being downgraded, and had a depth of around 10 kilometres.

Government-issued alerts sent mobile phones into a spin, with around 14 million residents impacted by shaking buildings and furnishings.

The quake shook buildings as far north as the capital of Taipei, at around 1.40am local time.

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

In 2016, more than 100 people were killed in a quake in southern Taiwan, while a 7.3 magnitude tremor killed over 2,000 people in 1999.