LOC14:57
11:57 GMT
TOKYO, March 19 (KUNA) -- A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude
of 6.1 on the Richter scale shook eastern Japan near Tokyo on Saturday, the
Japan Meteorological Agency said.
There were no immediate reports of casualties. No tsunami warning was
issued for the 6:56 p.m. (0956) quake, the agency said. The tremor also
rattled buildings in Tokyo.
There were no reports of irregularities at nuclear plants in the area,
which neighbors Fukushima Prefecture that was hit by a magnitude 9.0 quake on
March 11. Tokyo's Narita International Airport was temporarily shut down for
safety checks.
The focus of the quake was 20 kilometers from the surface in Ibaraki
Prefecture. It registered upper 5 on the Japanese seismic scale of 7 in
Hitachi City in Ibaraki Prefecture, about 130 kilometers northeast of Tokyo.
The weather agency defines an intensity of upper 5 as strong enough to make
most dishes in a cupboard and most books on a bookshelf fall. (end)
mk.sd
KUNA 191457 Mar 11NNNN