A powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s northeastern Tohoku region early Thursday, shaking coastal areas of Iwate and Aomori prefectures, while authorities said no tsunami warning had been issued and no major damage was immediately reported.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the earthquake occurred off the coast of Iwate at a depth of approximately 50 kilometers. The agency said only minor sea-level fluctuations were recorded and there was no risk of a destructive tsunami.
The quake reached an intensity of “6-plus” on Japan’s seismic scale in parts of Aomori Prefecture, a level at which standing or moving can become difficult and unsecured objects may be thrown from shelves.
Following the tremor, Tohoku Electric Power reported no abnormalities at the Onagawa and Higashidori nuclear power plants. Authorities said inspections were underway but no safety concerns had been identified.
Rail operators also suspended portions of transport services as a precaution. East Japan Railway Company said some train services, including sections of the Tohoku Shinkansen high-speed rail line, were temporarily halted while safety checks were conducted.
Japan sits along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences some of the highest levels of earthquake activity in the world. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s earthquakes measuring magnitude 6.0 or greater occur in or around Japan.
The latest earthquake comes as Japanese authorities continue to strengthen disaster-preparedness measures following a series of major earthquakes and tsunami events over recent decades, including the devastating 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami that triggered the Fukushima nuclear crisis and caused widespread destruction across northeastern Japan.
