US authorities issue tsunami warning after powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake hits Taiwan

A TSUNAMI warning was issued after a powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan.

The strong vibrations derailed train cars and a building collapsed as rescue workers tried to free those trapped.

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Tremors were felt across Taiwan, with the epicenter in the city of Taitung.

It came just hours after another 6.4 magnitude quake struck the same area on Saturday night.

Taiwanese media said a low-rise building that housed a supermarket collapsed and rescue work had begun to free those inside.

The Taiwan Railway Administration said three train cars slid off the rails at Dongli Train Station in eastern Taiwan after part of the platform canopy collapsed and about 20 passengers on board were evacuated.

The US Tsunami Warning Center issued a warning in Taiwan after the quake.

It said dangerous tsunami waves were possible within 300km of the epicenter along the coasts of Taiwan.

Japan’s meteorological agency issued a 1-meter tsunami wave warning for part of Okinawa Prefecture after the earthquake.

“The quake was felt across Taiwan,” the weather bureau said.

“Buildings briefly shook in the capital, Taipei.”

Located near the intersection of two tectonic plates, Taiwan is prone to earthquakes.

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