5.5-magnitude quake strikes near Japan's east coast: US Geological Survey
31 Dec 2016 9:56 AM IST
Japan sits at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences a number of relatively violent quakes every year.
Many people tweeted about the earthquake despite the tremor hitting early in the morning. (Photo: Pixabay)
Tokyo: A 5.5-magnitude earthquake hit near Japan’s east coast today, the US Geological Survey said. The moderate quake hit at a shallow depth of 11 kilometres (6.8 miles), 244 kilometres northeast of Tokyo, just after 5:00 am (local time).
Japan sits at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences a number of relatively violent quakes every year. But rigid building codes and strict enforcement mean even strong tremors often do little damage.
On Wednesday a 6.3-magnitude quake hit 18 kilometres north-northeast of the town of Daigo, but there were no reports of injuries or damage.
( Source : AFP )
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