Taiwan 6.4 earthquake hits city of Tainan

Image copyrightAP

Image captionIt was felt strongly in Tainan, a city of two million people, as many would have been asleep

A 6.4 magnitude struck southern Taiwan in the early hours of Saturday morning causing at least two buildings to collapse.

Rescuers are working in the city of Tainan and it is unclear whether there are any casualties.

The city government is reported to have set up an emergency team. Tainan is home to nearly two million people.

The quake was shallow, so its effects would have been amplified, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

One of the buildings that collapsed was a residential complex, while those inside were sleeping, Taiwan's Liberty Times reported.

There are also reports of power outages.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is often rattled by earthquakes.

A 7.6 magnitude quake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.

Image copyrightAP

Image captionRescue operations are under way

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionThe earthquake was shallow, according US geographers, which would have amplified its effects