(Adds China's Xinhua report) TAIPEI, Jan 25 (Reuters) - A moderate earthquake rattled Taiwan on Thursday, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage were reported. The magnitude of the earthquake and the epicentre of the tremor were not immediately available. China's official Xinhua news agency, citing China Seismological Bureau, said an earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale was reported in the sea area east of Taiwan at 1059 GMT on Thursday. The epicentre was about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Taiwan, Xinhua added. Earthquakes occur frequently in Taiwan, which lies on a seismically active stretch of the Pacific basin. One of Taiwan's worst-recorded quakes occurred in September 1999. Measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, it killed more than 2,400 people and destroyed or damaged 50,000 buildings. (Additional reporting by Charlie Zhu in Shanghai)
