Magnitude 6.9 earthquake strikes off northeastern Japan

An earthquake of preliminary magnitude 6.9 struck off the coast of Iwate, northeastern Japan on Thursday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The quake took place at 7.30 am local time (2230GMT) in the Pacific Ocean, roughly 42 kilometers (26 miles) from the coastal city of Kuji, with its epicenter located at a depth of 50 km (31 mi), according to the agency.

The agency said the quake initially registered as an upper 6 magnitude event on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, which has a maximum level of 7.

The quake alert did not immediately supply any further details.