<p>A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off Taiwan's eastern coast on Thursday and was followed by multiple lighter aftershocks, the island's weather bureau said, with shaking felt in the capital Taipei.</p>.<p>The quake hit just after midday about 30 kilometres (19 miles) off the coast of Hualien County at a shallow depth of six kilometres.</p>.<p>The US Geological Survey reported a lower 5.9-magnitude reading and a depth of 12 kilometres.</p>.<p>The national fire agency said six hikers who were climbing Yushan, the island's highest mountain, suffered minor injuries when they were hit by falling rocks during the quake.</p>.<p>"The earthquake was felt all over Taiwan because it's very shallow," Chen Kuo-chang, head of the weather bureau's seismological centre, told reporters.</p>.<p>"There have been eight aftershocks so far and we expect more aftershocks in the next three days."</p>.<p>Taiwan's subway and railway authorities both said on Thursday trains were temporarily running at reduced speed but services had not been halted.</p>.<p>There have been 12 quakes over 6.0 magnitude this year, according to the centre, four times the average 2.8 a year, and the second highest since 1999.</p>.<p>A 7.6-magnitude quake in September 1999 killed around 2,400 people, the deadliest natural disaster in the island's history.</p>.<p>Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes because the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates.</p>.<p>Some earthquakes of 6.0 or more can prove deadly, although much depends on where the quake strikes and at what depth.</p>.<p>A much stronger 6.9-magnitude tremor struck Taiwan's eastern coast in September, killing one person and bringing down a handful of buildings.</p>
<p>A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off Taiwan's eastern coast on Thursday and was followed by multiple lighter aftershocks, the island's weather bureau said, with shaking felt in the capital Taipei.</p>.<p>The quake hit just after midday about 30 kilometres (19 miles) off the coast of Hualien County at a shallow depth of six kilometres.</p>.<p>The US Geological Survey reported a lower 5.9-magnitude reading and a depth of 12 kilometres.</p>.<p>The national fire agency said six hikers who were climbing Yushan, the island's highest mountain, suffered minor injuries when they were hit by falling rocks during the quake.</p>.<p>"The earthquake was felt all over Taiwan because it's very shallow," Chen Kuo-chang, head of the weather bureau's seismological centre, told reporters.</p>.<p>"There have been eight aftershocks so far and we expect more aftershocks in the next three days."</p>.<p>Taiwan's subway and railway authorities both said on Thursday trains were temporarily running at reduced speed but services had not been halted.</p>.<p>There have been 12 quakes over 6.0 magnitude this year, according to the centre, four times the average 2.8 a year, and the second highest since 1999.</p>.<p>A 7.6-magnitude quake in September 1999 killed around 2,400 people, the deadliest natural disaster in the island's history.</p>.<p>Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes because the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates.</p>.<p>Some earthquakes of 6.0 or more can prove deadly, although much depends on where the quake strikes and at what depth.</p>.<p>A much stronger 6.9-magnitude tremor struck Taiwan's eastern coast in September, killing one person and bringing down a handful of buildings.</p>