Taipei earthquake: Buildings shake as strong 5.7 magnitude seismic shock rattles Taiwan

An earthquake reaching 5.7 on the Richter scale struck parts of Taipei on Wednesday afternoon, according to the government, with several witnesses reporting buildings rocking in downtown Taipei.

Taiwan's mountainous Beitou District was hardest hit as the earthquake struck 12 miles east of the capital at a depth of 87 miles below the surface, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

So far no casualties have been reported and damage to buildings appears to be minimal.

Tech giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world's largest chipmaker, said it did not suffer any damages, according to a spokesperson.

Taiwan sits on the Pacific "ring of fire", an area known as an earthquake hotspot due to its close proximity to shifting tectonic plates.