- TOKYO (Reuters) - An earthquake
measuring 5.6 on the open-ended Richter scale struck Japan's southern main
island of Kyushu on Monday but there were no immediate reports of damage
or injuries.
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- The quake, which struck at 1.36 p.m. (0436 GMT), was
centred in the Pacific Ocean off Oita Prefecture, about 800 km (500 miles)
southwest of Tokyo.
-
- Authorities in the hot springs resort of Oita said the
there were no reports of damage or casualties caused by the quake.
-
- "There has been no disruption in local rail and
road traffic," said an Oita city official. The Meteorological Agency
said there was no concern about the quake triggering a "tsunami",
or tidal wave.
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- Japan sits atop the junction of at least three tectonic
plates, immense slabs of the earth's crust whose gradual movements are
thought to cause earthquakes, making it one of the world's most earthquake-prone
regions.
-
- In 1995, more than 6,000 people were killed when a quake
measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale hit western Japan.
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