An infant is rescued from a collapsed building in Tainan, Taiwan, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. [Photo/IC]

TAIPEI - The death toll of a powerful earthquake that struck southern Taiwan early Saturday reached 17 by 5:15 a.m. Sunday, according to the local fire agency.

Previous reports said 462 people were injured in the quake. Over 350 people have been rescued in Tainan city. The rescue is still underway.

The 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit Kaohsiung city at a depth of 15 kilometers at 3:57 am Beijing Time on Saturday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. Local monitoring authorities put the scale of the quake at 6.4 magnitude.

In the historic city of Tainan, which bore the brunt of the quake, eight buildings collapsed and another five were partially damaged.

Firefighters enter a collapsed building to search for earthquake survivors in Kaohsiung, epicenter of the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that jolted Taiwan at 3:57 am on Feb 6, 2016. [Photo provided by China Times to China Daily]

Mainland offers Taiwan quake help

The mainland has offered to help Taiwan following the deadly earthquake.

The mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) has been in contact with Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) since 6 am, around two hours after the quake struck near the city of Tainan, said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office.

The ARATS has sent a letter to the SEF offering rescue assistance if needed.

Ma also expressed concern and condolences for those who have suffered in the quake.

Besides, the Red Cross Society of China provided 2 million yuan ($304,400) to relief work.