6.9 quake hits island off Tokyo, no tsunami warning

TOKYO, June 23 (KUNA) -- A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 on the Richter scale struck off an island chain off Tokyo Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. But there were no immediate reports of casualties and damage. No tsunami warning was issued for the 9:25 p.m. (1225 GMT) quake. The epicenter of the tremor was 480 km underground near the Ogasawara Island, about 1,000 kilometers south of Tokyo, according to the agency. The quake measured 4 on the Japanese seismic scale of 7 in Ogasawara, according to the agency. It defines an intensity of 4 as capable of causing dishes and objects on shelves to rattle. The Japanese scale measures to what extent places are shaken on the surface while the Richter scale measures the energy of the quake itself.
Last month, a magnitude 8.5 quake also hit the islands and Tokyo. The country was severely damaged by the 9.0-magnitude quake and ensuing tsunami in March 2011 that left nearly 19,000 people dead or missing and damaged the Fukushima nuclear complex. (end) mk.ajs