Tsunami warning issued after 6.7-mag earthquake in Japan

An quake strikes an offshore area 325 miles north-east of Tokyo, triggering a tsunami warning for Iwate Prefecture.

AN EARTHQUAKE of magnitude 6.7 rattled northeast Japan on Thursday morning, the US Geological Survey has reported.

The quake struck the same area of the Pacific where a massive magnitude 9 quake hit on March 11, triggering a deadly tsunami. At least 23,000 people were killed or left missing in those disasters, which destroyed hundreds of homes, offices and factories in northeastern Japan.

Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported that the Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a tsunami warning for Iwate Prefecture.

The US Pacific Tsunami warning centre said that it did not expect a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the quake that hit at 6:50am local time (10:50pm Irish time).

The epicentre was an offshore location 325 miles northeast of Tokyo, USGS said, and 19.9 miles deep.

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