WASHINGTON –– A strong earthquake capable of significant damage struck in the Pacific Ocean east of Taiwan late Tuesday, local time, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Spokesman Butch Kinerney said the quake measured 6.7 magnitude and was centered 80 miles east of Hua-Lien on Taiwan. It struck at 10:03 p.m. Tuesday, or 9:03 p.m. Monday EST.

Kinerney said the site is a seismic area, but the temblor was the largest there since May 1994. "There was a potential for damage in the city, and certainly it was felt in the city," Kinerney said.

He said, however, that the State Department had informed USGS that the U.S. representative mission in Taiwan, the American Institute, had reported no damage from the quake. The department also said no damage was reported to the north on Okinawa, Japan.

At Ewa Beach, Hawaii, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an earthquake bulletin but said there was no tidal wave danger throughout the Pacific region and none had been reported in the immediate area.

© 2001 The Associated Press