A major earthquake registering 7.1 on the Richter Scale struck off Honshu early today. It was centered 60 miles off the coast and at a depth of 20 miles. It was centered about 60 miles off the coast and at a depth of 20 miles, the Central Meteorological Agency in Tokyo said. No casualties have been reported, but officials fear a seismic tidal wave. Over the past few weeks a series of lesser quakes have occurred in the same general area. The first quake hit just after midnight local time (0900 GMT) with its epicenter near the town of Minamisanriku, about 30 miles from Tokyo. A major fault runs under Japan, and it is the reason for frequent quakes, but most of them cause little damage.
A major earthquake registering 7.1 on the Richter Scale struck off Honshu early today. It was centered 60 miles off the coast and at a depth of 20 miles. No casualties have been reported, but officials fear a seismic tidal wave. Over the past few weeks a series of lesser quakes have occurred in the same general area. The first quake hit just after midnight local time (0900 GMT) with its epicenter near the town of Minamisanriku, about 30 miles from Tokyo. A major fault runs under Japan, and it is the reason for frequent quakes, but most of them cause little damage.