Taiwan earthquake: 5 killed, 150 wounded

At least five people were killed on Saturday morning when a magnitude-6.4 earthquake hit Taiwan, the Taiwanese Disaster Response Center said, CNN reports.

More than 200 people were rescued from damaged structures, many from a 17-story residential building that collapsed in Tainan, officials told CNN.

More than 150 people in Tainan were hospitalized, disaster officials said.

A man who was staying in a three-story apartment building in Tainan told Chinese state media CCTV the building was shaking violently when the quake hit before sunrise. His room tilted.

The man said the 45-degree tilt resulted in items inside his room spilling all over the floor.

Unable to use the stairs, he managed to escape from the window of the second floor.

Video shot by CNN affiliate SETTV showed rescuers helping several people from the rubble, including one man who had blood on his face.

In another shot, rescuers carefully lower an elderly woman strapped to a backboard.

SETTV`s aerial footage showed the collapsed 17-story building, with white smoke or dust still billowing from the destruction.

More than 1,500 people are involved in rescue efforts, the disaster center said. Seven other buildings were damaged.

Taiwan`s outgoing President, Ma Ying-jeou, is on his way to the city, CNN affiliate EBC and other Taiwanese media reported.

About 1.9 million people live in Tainan,Taiwan`s oldest city.

As of 5:30 a.m. (4:30 p.m. ET Friday), 121,672 homes and businesses were without power in Tainan.

The tremor was centered about 48 kilometers (30 miles) east-southeast of Tainan, the U.S. Geological Survey said.