Japan shook by earthquakes

A seismic intensity of 6.6 on the Richter scale occurred on the east coast of Japan yesterday that shook buildings in the capital and many other places.

An earthquake rescue team in Japan.Photo: AFP.

AP quoted Japan Meteorological Department as saying that the earthquake happened on 17h8 on March 14. Its epicenter is about 80 km from the east coast and lies about 40 km deep. Its intensity is large enough to lighten large buildings in Tokyo and large islands like Honshu and Hokkaido. Fukushima Prefecture - about 210 km northeast of Tokyo, is the place most affected. The government affirmed that there is no risk of tsunamis, although sea levels in some areas rise.

Officials said they had not received any information about the casualties, but the buildings near the epicenter of the quake were only slightly damaged.

"Seismic attacks are relatively strong, but do not spill anything in the office , " said Ken Yoshida, an official in Nahara. Nahara is one of the areas with the strongest shaking.

Japan is one of the countries most hit by earthquakes. In 1995, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake in the port city of Kobe killed about 6,400 people.