BEIJING, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Two earthquakes -- the first measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale at 8:26 p.m. and the second measuring 6.7 at 8:34 p.m. -- hit the South China Sea on Tuesday, killing one person in Taiwan. 
 

Residents stay at an open area in Xiamen, a coastal city of southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 26, 2006. Two earthquakes -- the first measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale at 8:26 p.m. and the second measuring 6.7 at 8:34 p.m. -- hit the South China Sea on Tuesday. Strong quakes were felt in Guangdong and Fujian provinces as well as Hong Kong and Macao, but no damage or casualty reports are available.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

Residents move to open areas in Quanzhou, a coastal city of southeast China's Fujian Province, Dec. 26, 2006. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    The national earthquake observation network said the epicenter was located at 21.9 degrees north latitude and 120.6 degrees east longitude, said the China Seismological Bureau.

    The epicenter was about 350 kilometers from the mainland and 15 kilometers from Taiwan.

    Taiwan media reported that eight people were trapped in the rubble of a house in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan. The firemen rescued four injured people and recovered one body. Three people are still buried in the ruins.

    Strong quakes were felt in mainland's Fuzhou, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Quanzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shantou cities in Guangdong and Fujian provinces as well as Hong Kong and Macao, but no damage or casualties have been reported.

    The bureau estimated the quakes would not have caused great damage to the mainland since the epicenter was far out to sea.

    The mainland's local governments and seismological departments in the affected areas have released the information on the quakes to the public through the media, according to the bureau.