Moderate quake hits off Japan: USGS

A moderate 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck off southern Japan on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and no tsunami alert was issued.

A moderate 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck off southern Japan on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and no tsunami alert was issued.

HT Image

The quake hit at 1118 pm (1418 GMT) at a depth of 35 kilometres under the Pacific Ocean and 150 kilometres southwest of Ishigaki-jima, in the Ryukyu Islands, the USGS said.

The same area was hit by a 5.6-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday. Around 20 per cent of the world's most powerful earthquakes strike Japan.