Semiconductor makers in northern Hsinchu Science Park, one of the world's top microchip production bases and an engine of Taiwan's export economy, were unaffected, the state-funded Central News Agency (CNA) said.
The quake reawakened fears of the devastation late last year, when 2,400 died and industry was stalled for weeks, with power outages and electricity rationing.
Fearing a repeat of the September quake, which had measured 7.6 on the Richter scale, several people were injured in Nantou by leaping from second-story windows, independent cable broadcaster TVBS said.
Hsinchu-based Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corp, the world's two largest contract chipmakers, suffered no power cuts in the latest quake and operations were normal, CNA said.
TVBS said one man died of a heart attack during the quake. The interior ministry could not confirm the death. Its casualty count stood at 21 injured.
The defense ministry said Tang telephoned defense minister Wu Shih-wen and asked him to assemble a disaster response team with troops based in central Taiwan.
Taiwan lies on a seismically active stretch of the Pacific basin and earthquakes occur frequently. |
