Earthquake with 6.1 magnitude hits northern Japan,no tsunami warning issued

 

The quake hit off the Nemuro peninsula at a depth of 61 kilometres An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 hit off the eastern part of Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido on Saturday, authorities said, and no tsunami warning was issued.

The quake hit off the Nemuro peninsula at a depth of 61 kilometres (38 miles), according to the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED).

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

In two municipalities in Hokkaido, the quake registered as a “lower 5” on Japan’s 7-point intensity scale, which measures ground motion.

The quake hit at 10:27 p.m. (1327 GMT) at a depth of around 43 kilometers (27 miles), the USGS said.

An expert speaking on public broadcaster NHK warned residents to be vigilant against quakes for about a week.

Earthquakes are common in Japan, which sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

The country has strict construction regulations intended to ensure buildings can withstand strong earthquakes, and routinely holds emergency drills to prepare for a major jolt.

That is usually a level where items fall out of shelves and unsecured furniture may move, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.