Beijing/Taipei, Apr 3 (IANS): A 7.3-magnitude earthquake jolted the sea area near Hualien of Taiwan at 7:58 a.m. Wednesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

A red alert for tsunami has been issued after the earthquake.

The epicentre was monitored at 23.81 degrees north latitude and 121.74 degrees east longitude, at a depth of 12 km, said a report issued by the CENC.

According to local media reports, strong tremors were felt in various parts of Taiwan, prompting Taipei's metro system to halt operations.

Taiwan's meteorological agency reported that a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck at 7:58 a.m. Wednesday, with a depth of 15.5 km. The epicentre was located 25 km south-southeast of the Hualien county government. The maximum intensity recorded was 6 magnitude in Hualien County, Xinhua news agency reported.

The quake was followed by aftershocks, with CENC reporting two quakes measuring 6.0 and 5.9 magnitudes respectively within around 40 minutes, with epicenters monitored in nearby areas.