A man and a woman stand near a replica of a lone pine tree that initially survived the 2011 tsunami that flattened the surrounding coastal forest, stands in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, Thursday, March 4, 2021. The tree, which … A man and a woman stand … more >

Powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake strikes off northern Japan, meteorological agency says

TOKYO — A powerful earthquake struck off Japan’s northern coast on Thursday, the meteorological agency said.

The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 and occurred off the eastern coast of Iwate, but there is no danger of a tsunami, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The quake had a depth of about 30 miles, it said.

The rattling occurred in the area where strong earthquakes have repeatedly been reported in recent months.