Strong earthquake hits off coast of Japan
There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.0 on the Richter scale struck about 160 km off the south-western coast of Japan early on Saturday, according to US Geological Survey. The quake occurred at a depth of about 10 km, 190 km from the south-western city of Kagoshima. The Associated Press reported that a 30 cm tsunami was recorded at 6.45 am on Nakanoshima, a small island to the south of Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning, which was later lifted, said the BBC. There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Japan was hit by a massive underwater earthquake, measuring 9 on the Richter scale, in 2011, killing over 18,000. The quake triggered a tsunami and sent three nuclear reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant into a meltdown. Japan's islands are located at the juncture of many tectonic plates and experience a number of quakes every year.