Strong quake rocks Japan
March 15, 2010 00:00:00
TOKYO, Mar 14 (AP): A strong magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit off the eastern coast of Japan Sunday, rattling buildings across a broad swath of the country, including the crowded capital.
There were no reports of casualties, with only light damage to structures near the epicenter, according to local officials.
The quake hit at 5:08 pm and was felt most strongly in central Fukushima prefecture about 130 miles (210 kilometres) northeast of Tokyo, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
"It was fairly strong, but didn't knock over anything in the office," said Ken Yoshida, a town official in Naraha, one of the hardest-hit areas. He said an earthen wall in town was partially toppled.
The earthquake was centered about 50 miles (80 kilometres) off the eastern coast at a depth of about 25 miles (40 kilometers), the meteorological agency said.
The government said there was no danger of a tsunami, although slight changes to ocean levels were a possibility in some areas.
It was strong enough to gently sway large buildings in Tokyo and was felt across a broad stretch of Japan's main Honshu and northern Hokkaido islands.