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TOKYO - A strong earthquake struck Japan early Sunday, violently shaking buildings and triggering a small 6-inch tsunami which hit the coast, officials and media reports said. No major damage or injuries were immediately reported.
The quake hit shortly before 10 a.m. off the north coast of Ishikawa prefecture (state), Japan’s Meteorological Agency said. It had a preliminary magnitude of 7.1. A small tsunami of 6 inches hit shore around 10:18 a.m., public broadcaster NHK said.
Television footage from the quake zone showed buildings swaying violently.
Immediately after the quake struck, authorities issued a tsunami warning for the country’s northwestern Sea of Japan coast and broadcasters urged people near the sea to seek higher ground. The Meteorological Agency said seismically triggered waves of up to 25 inches were possible.
Calls to police and local officials in the region were not immediately answered.
The United States Geological Service said the epicenter of the earthquake was 225 miles northwest of Tokyo. The USGS gave a preliminary magnitude of 7.3.
Japan sits atop four tectonic plates and is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no Pacific-wide tsunami threat based on historical data, and no warning was issued for Alaska, Washington, Oregon or California.
At nearly the same time as the Japan quake, police said a strong magnitude 7.2 earthquake rattled the South Pacific island of Vanuatu. No injuries, damage or tsunami warnings were reported.
This breaking news story will be updated.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17778044/
The quake hit shortly before 10 a.m. off the north coast of Ishikawa prefecture (state), Japan’s Meteorological Agency said. It had a preliminary magnitude of 7.1. A small tsunami of 6 inches hit shore around 10:18 a.m., public broadcaster NHK said.
Television footage from the quake zone showed buildings swaying violently.
Immediately after the quake struck, authorities issued a tsunami warning for the country’s northwestern Sea of Japan coast and broadcasters urged people near the sea to seek higher ground. The Meteorological Agency said seismically triggered waves of up to 25 inches were possible.
Calls to police and local officials in the region were not immediately answered.
The United States Geological Service said the epicenter of the earthquake was 225 miles northwest of Tokyo. The USGS gave a preliminary magnitude of 7.3.
Japan sits atop four tectonic plates and is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no Pacific-wide tsunami threat based on historical data, and no warning was issued for Alaska, Washington, Oregon or California.
At nearly the same time as the Japan quake, police said a strong magnitude 7.2 earthquake rattled the South Pacific island of Vanuatu. No injuries, damage or tsunami warnings were reported.
This breaking news story will be updated.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17778044/
