7.1 magnitude quake hits off coast of Japan's Fukushima, no apparent major damage

TOKYO: A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 hit off the coast of eastern Japan on Saturday (Feb 13), shaking buildings in Tokyo, but there appeared to be no major damage and no tsunami warning was issued.

The epicentre of the earthquake was off the coast of Fukushima prefecture at a depth of 60 km, the agency said, adding that a tsunami warning had not been issued.

The earthquake hit at 11:08 pm local time (10.08pm, Singapore time) and shook buildings in the capital of Tokyo.

There were no reports of irregularities at the Tokaimura nuclear facility, public broadcaster NHK said. The Meteorological Agency said no tsunami warning had been issued.

READ: Japan to release Fukushima contaminated water into sea: Reports

The quake hit off the coast of Fukushima just weeks before the 10-year anniversary of the March 11, 2011, quake that devastated northeast Japan and triggered a massive tsunami, that led to the world's worst nuclear crisis in a quarter of a century.

Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. Japan accounts for about 20 per cent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.