Quake strikes near Japanese island, no tsunami risk

The magnitude 6.0 quake occurred off the island of Miyako, according to the US Geological Survey

A strong earthquake hit southern Japan on Tuesday, though there was no tsunami warning nor immediate reports of damage or injuries.

A woman prays for victims of the 2011 quake-tsunami disaster in Fukushima prefecture. (AFP File)

The magnitude 6.0 quake hit at a depth of 10 km in waters off the island of Miyako in the southern Okinawan chain, according to the US Geological Survey.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency warned of small changes in sea levels but no tsunami.

Map of Japan showing the epicentre of a 6.0-magnitude quake off the southern Okinawan chain. (AFP)

Miyako, with a population of about 55,000, sits some 1,840 km southwest of Tokyo and about 380 km east of Taipei.

Japan sits at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences a number of relatively violent quakes every year, though damage is often slight thanks to rigorous building codes and broad earthquake awareness.

A massive undersea quake on March 11, 2011 sent a tsunami barrelling into Japan’s northeast coast. More than 18,500 people were left dead or missing and three reactors went into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

It was Japan’s worst disaster in the post World War II era.