The death toll after a severe earthquake off the coast of Taiwan has risen to seven, the Central Emergency Operation Centre (CEOC) said on Wednesday.

The 7.2-magnitude earthquake centred about 25 kilometres southeast of Hualien in eastern Taiwan triggered several landslides in the rugged east coast region of the island.

According to the CEOC, the seven victims were killed in a tunnel on the Dekalun Trail in a mining area in Hualien County.

There were 736 people injured and 77 people remain trapped in tunnels, the CEOC said.

In the Chongde Tunnel in Taroko National Park, a group of people including two Germans was trapped inside.

In addition, about 60 people were trapped in Jinwen Tunnel on the highway that connected the eastern cities of Suao and Hualien.