Four dead, dozens injured as earthquake hits Taiwan, strongest in 25 years

• Powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Taiwan, claiming four lives and injuring dozens
• Hualien county, the quake's epicentre, reports highest casualties and building collapses
• Train services suspended across Taiwan

Four killed and dozens others injured after an earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale struck Taiwan on Wednesday, which also triggered a tsunami in Japan's Yonaguni Island. This marks the strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in 25 years since a 7.2-magnitude temblor struck the country's Nantou county in 1999, killing more than 2,500 people and injuring over 1,300 others.

The Taiwanese government said the four deaths were reported in Hualien county, the earthquake's epicentre, while more than 50 others also injured.

Reportedly, at least 26 buildings have collapsed in Taiwan as a result of the massive earthquake, with more than half of those located in the county. Train services are suspended across Taiwan and in the capital Taipei, there were reports of tiles falling from buildings.

The earthquake struck at 7.58 am, about 18 km south-southwest of Hualien and was about 35 km deep. Taiwan's Central Weather Administration said more aftershocks were expected in the coming three or four, and could be as strong as a magnitude 6.5 to 7.