An earthquake has toppled buildings in the south Taiwanese city of Tainan, killing at least seven people, reported BBC.

Rescue teams have been trying to reach people trapped in rubble since the magnitude 6.4 quake struck just before 04:00 (20:00 GMT Friday).

A baby was among four people killed when a high-rise block collapsed. At least 155 people have been injured. President Ma Ying-jeou promised an "all-out effort" to rescue people when he arrived in the city.

Shelters would be set up for those who had lost their homes in the city of two million people, he said. The fifth death was caused by objects falling from a water tower, officials said.

The quake was shallow, meaning its effects would have been amplified, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

There have also been at least five aftershocks.

Beijing has offered assistance although at the moment at least, given the relatively limited scale of the disaster, it does not look as if much outside help is needed, the BBC's John Sudworth reports from the Chinese capital.