Japan's meteorological agency says the danger of a destructive tsunami has passed after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Taiwan.
The agency had warned two hours earlier on Tuesday that a one-metre high ts
The US Geological Survey recorded a magnitude 7.2 earthquake to the west-southwest of the Hengchun Peninsula on the island's southern tip.
Other damage included the cracking of streets and bridges and fires broke out in Taiwan. The earthquake was felt across the country, swaying buildings and knocking objects off shelves in the capital, Taipei.
But the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said no Pacific-wide tsunami was expected, although a local tsunami was possible.
Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau measured the tremor at 6.7 and timed it at 8.26pm (12:26 GMT). It was followed eight minutes later with an aftershock measuring 7 on the Richter scale.
The quake hit on the second anniversary of a massive earthquake off Indonesia that triggered a powerful tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries.