Japan Earthquake Today: 6.9 Magnitude Quake Hits off the Coast

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Japan in Iwate Prefecture, reports said on Monday. (USGS)

(JMA government website)

 

The Associated Press has more:

The Japan Meteorological Agency lifted a tsunami advisory two hours after it was issued following the quake, which hit at 8 a.m. Japan time (2300 GMT).

The quake’s epicenter was at a depth of about 10 kilometers (6 miles). It shook much of northeast Japan and could be felt in Tokyo, 690 kilometers (430 miles) away.

Small tsunamis of up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) were recorded after the quake along the coast of Iwate prefecture, according to the agency, much smaller than the possible 1-meter (3-foot) tsunami mentioned in the advisory.

Several smaller aftershocks were also reported in the area.

The earthquake struck in the same region hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, killing more than 18,000 people.