HONG KONG, July 9 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richer scale hit off Taiwan at 0041 GMT, the U.S. Geological Survey said Friday.

The epicenter is 24.774 degrees north latitude and 122.637 degrees east longitude, at a depth of 129.6 km, the U.S. agency said.

The agency also detected a magnitude-5. 2 quake striking off the east coast of Taiwan earlier on Friday.