Rescuers scamper to a collapsed building with a ladder and clamber over rubble as an earthquake struck eastern Taiwan late on Tuesday night (February 6).

The footage shows the heavily damaged Yuncui building, where local reports say 49 people are missing.

According to Chinese state television, two people in the multi-purpose Yuncui building - made up of flats and shops - have died.

Police and civilians were attempting to rescue trapped people inside the building with ladders.

According to reports, the shallow magnitude 6.4 quake struck 13 miles north of Hualien, on the east coast of Taiwan.

The quake’s epicentre, Hualien County, has suffered constant quakes all week.

The tremors have left at least four people dead - including the two in the Yuncui building - as well as 170 missing and 200 injured.