Magnitude 6.9 quake hits northern Japan, no tsunami threat reported

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck northern Japan on Thursday, but authorities said there was no tsunami threat and no immediate reports of major damage.

The earthquake occurred off the coast of Iwate prefecture, with the epicentre located at a depth of around 50 kilometres, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The strongest shaking was recorded in the town of Hashikami. One resident told AFP that the only damage inside her home was a fallen photo frame.

Footage broadcast by public broadcaster NHK showed normal activity in Hachinohe city, with traffic moving and signals operating as usual.

Japan is among the world’s most earthquake-prone nations, located on four major tectonic plates along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”. The country experiences hundreds of earthquakes each year, though most are relatively weak.

The impact of earthquakes in Japan varies depending on their location and depth, with memories still fresh of the devastating 2011 magnitude 9.0 undersea earthquake and tsunami that killed or left missing around 18,500 people and caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

The latest quake comes after a magnitude 7.7 tremor struck northern Japan’s Pacific waters off Iwate prefecture on April 20.

Following that earthquake, authorities issued a special advisory warning of a higher-than-usual risk of a stronger magnitude 8.0 or greater earthquake. The advisory was withdrawn after a week.