6.4M earthquake strikes Taiwan

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, toppling two high-rise residential buildings where rescuers pulled out more than 200 people. At least 11 people were killed, and more are still believed to be trapped inside.

Among the survivors, Taiwan's official news agency said a 10-day-old infant and a 40-year-old man were found in critical conditions when they were pulled out of a 17-story Wei Guan residential building, according to the Associated Press. So far, 249 people were pulled from the rubble, and at least 29 were injured.

The Central News Agency said that about 200 people are believed to have been living inside in about 60 households.

Rescuers also pulled out 34 people from another Wei Guan high-rise, which had 16 floors and housed 150 families. The road where the building is located had gas leaks and water pipe ruptures, the news agency said.

The Taiwanese news website ET Today reported that two buildings toppled in Tainan, and that some water and gas utility pipes had ruptured. Sirens were wailing as city authorities responded to the quake.

The temblor struck about 4 a.m. local time (2000 GMT Friday). It was located some 22 miles (36 kilometers) southeast of Yujing, and struck about 6 miles (10 kilometers) underground, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

It was felt as a lengthy, rolling shake in the capital, Taipei, on the other side of the island. But Taipei was quiet, with no sense of emergency or obvious damage just before dawn.

The center of the earthquake is located about 15 miles from Pingtung, in southern Taiwan, according to the USGS.

The city government there has set up a level one emergency response center and urged onlookers not to block emergency crews, the China Post reports.

The newspaper said that were at least four sharp aftershocks.