6.1 magnitude earthquake off northeastern coastline rattles Japan; no tsunami warning issued

Tokyo: A magnitude-6.1 earthquake rattled northeastern Japan early Sunday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the latest in a series of major temblors hitting the region.

No tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. But the recent spate of quakes coming during typhoon season has set off worries about mudslides.

Sunday's quake struck off the coast of Iwate Prefecture at 7:25 a.m. local time, with a depth of about 40 kilometers (25 miles), and shook Aomori Prefecture and other nearby regions.


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Japan is prone to quakes and tsunami. A series of quakes have hit lately, including a 7.2 magnitude quake that struck Thursday in the area close to Sunday's quake. That magnitude was revised upward from a preliminary estimate.

The agency has warned other quakes may follow. A magnitude 5.6 earthquake shook Yamanashi Prefecture and nearby areas, which are near Mount Fuji and west of Tokyo, on Friday.

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