(Photo: USGS)

BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- A 5.3-magnitude earthquake jolted the sea area near Taitung county, Taiwan, at 10:32 a.m. Friday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

The epicenter was monitored at 22.46 degrees north latitude and 121.34 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 11 km, the center said.