Earthquakes occurred from late Tuesday to early Wednesday in the coastal water near Pingtung County, southern Taiwan, have killed two and injured 42.

The Pingtung County was the worst hit area by the earthquakes, followed by Kaohsiung County and Kaohsiung City.

According to local meteorological bureau, seven earthquakes occurred consecutively from late Tuesday to early Wednesday in the sea areas near Taiwan. The strongest one measured 6.7 on the Richter Scale, the biggest earthquake occurred in the sea areas to the southwest of Taiwan in the last 100 years.

(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2006)