A strong earthquake measuring 5.9 magnitude on the Richter scale struck off the east coast of Taiwan on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said. The quake hit at 00:38 am (16:38 GMT Friday) and was centered 98 kilometers east of the city of Hualian at a depth of 38 kilometers, USGS said. It estimated there was a low likelihood of casualties and damage from the tremor, which struck 63 kilometers southwest of the Japanese town of Yonakuni in the Yaeyama Islands. A strong 6.3-magnitude quake which hit central Taiwan last Sunday killed four people and caused widespread landslides. The island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is regularly hit by earthquakes.