BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter Scale hit the sea near Ilan County in northeast Taiwan at 4:45 p.m. Beijing Time Monday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The epicenter was monitored at 25 degrees north latitude and 122.2 degrees east longitude with a depth of about 8 kilometers, the center said.

The epicenter was about 50 kilometers off Ilan County and was about 70 kilometers off Taipei.

No information of casualties is immediately available.