Taiwan remembers quake victims

Taiwan has begun a day of ceremonies and vigils to mark the first anniversary of the earthquake which killed about two-and-half-thousand people last year.

A seven-minute silence marked the exact time the earthquake struck, followed by the ringing of bells in temples and churches.

A hundred-thousand homes were destroyed and thousands of people remain in temporary accomodation.

As the ceremonies were taking place, a moderate earthquake hit Ilan county the north east of the country.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Earlier President Chen Shui-Bian has apologised for the slow pace of reconstruction after last year's earthquake.

Prosecutors are pursuing those responsible for shoddy building work, and nearly one-hundred-and-fifty people have been charged so far.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service