Taiwan earthquake leaves hundreds trapped in collapsed buildings

Hundreds of people are feared trapped in collapsed buildings after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan.

'Multiple' buildings - including at least one residential block - are said to have fallen following the quake which shook the island at about 4am on Saturday. 

Reports emerging suggest Tainan, on the south-west coast, was the worst affected, with pictures of buildings partially or completely destroyed circulating on social media, while video footage shows rescue workers wading through water after the mains burst.

At least five aftershocks of 3.8-magnitude or more shook Tainan about half an hour after the initial quake, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau.

The quake was very shallow, at depth of 6.2 miles (10 km), which would have amplified its effects, the United States Geographical Survey said.

At least 30 people have been rescued so far, with no reported fatalities. 

'Four buildings have collapsed in Tainan City area. Search and rescue is under way and no casualties have been reported at this moment,' Lin Kuan-cheng, spokesman for the National Fire Agency, said.  

Taiwan's China Post newspaper said on its website that more than one building had been toppled by the force, while other sources say power has been cut to large areas of the city. 

'Collapsed buildings reported in Tainan, with rescue workers arriving on scene. The city govement there has set up a level one emergency response centre. Onlookers are urged not to block access to emergency crews moving into the area,' the newspaper said.

Tainan city's fire department said earlier that it was on its way to the site of one building that had partially collapsed and Liu Shih-chung, an official with the Tainan City Govement, said the city had set up an emergency response centre.

No other details were immediately available but many people in Taiwan said the tremor was strong.

'I hugged the wall and put my face to the wall,' Pao-feng Wu, a Tainan resident, said after the quake hit.  

The centre was located some 22 miles (36 kilometres) south-east of Yujing, and was felt as a lengthy, rolling shake in the capital, Taipei, on the other side of the island.

The Pacific Tsunami Waing Centre said a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami was not expected.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is regularly hit by earthquakes.

A strong 6.3-magnitude quake which hit central Taiwan in June 2013 killed four people and caused widespread landslides.

A 7.6-magnitude quake struck the island in September 1999 and killed around 2,400 people.