Several strong earthquakes, included one of magnitude 6.3, shook Japan's northern island of Hokkaido this evening, the latest since a powerful temblor injured more than 700 people less than two weeks ago. There were no immediate reports of major damage.
The most powerful of the quakes struck at 6:07 p.m. (10:07 a.m. Irish time ) about 30 miles under the ocean floor just off the island's eastern coast, Japan's Meteorological Agency said. There was no danger of tsunami, a potentially dangerous ocean wave triggered by seismic activity, it said.
Later in the evening, a 5.8 magnitude temblor jolted the same area. A magnitude 5.1 earthquake had struck early Wednesday morning.
On Tuesday two temblors, including one registering magnitude 5.6, rattled the region amid warnings a major fault line in the area still has pent-up energy to release.
A researcher at the Japan Marine Science and Technology Center predicted the region could be hit by a quake similar to the magnitude 8 one that slammed Hokkaido on September 27th.
That quake damaged homes and roads, leaving 756 people injured, 59 seriously. Two fishermen were believed to have been swept away by tsunami waves as high as 13 feet.
A magnitude 5 quake can damage buildings; a magnitude 7 is capable of causing widespread, massive damage. Japan sits atop four tectonic plates and is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries.
AP