Pics: Magnitude 6.4 quake hits Taiwan killing at least 5 and leaving many injured

A powerful earthquake toppled a 17-story apartment building in southern Taiwan on Saturday, killing at least five people, including a 10-day-old girl, and triggering frantic efforts to rescue about 35 people feared trapped inside with more than 300 people injured. President Ma Ying-jeou promised an "all-out effort" to rescue people. The baby and three of the other dead were from an apartment complex where the floors of a tower block pancaked down onto to each other when the 6.4 magnitude tremor hit at around 4 a.m. (3.00 p.m. ET), at the start of a Lunar New Year holiday.

The quake was centered 43 km (27 miles) southeast of Tainan, at a depth of 23 km (14 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey said. Several aftershocks shook Tainan, Taiwan's weather bureau said. There have also been at least five aftershocks. The quake was felt in the capital Taipei, 300 km away. Although the damage does not appear to be widespread, a number of tall buildings have been left leaning precariously. There are also reports of power outages, and transport links have been disrupted on what is one of the busiest travelling days of the year ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday.
Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and often sees tremors.