Moderate quake jolts sea off Taiwan's east coast

A moderate earthquake of 5.1 magnitude shook the sea off the Hualien County on Taiwan's east coast at 11:29 a.m. Beijing Time Friday, the island's weather department said.

The epicenter was monitored at 24.04 degrees north latitude and 122.39 degrees east longitude with a depth of 6.9 km, the department said.

There has been no report on casualties or property losses.

The Beijing-based China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) had earlier put the magnitude at 4.4.

According to the CENC, the same sea area was struck by an 8-km-deep quake of 4.3 magnitude at 2:08 a.m, with the epicenter determined to be 23.9 degrees north latitude and 121.9 degrees east longitude.