Strong earthquake hits northeast Japan, no tsunami

TOKYO — A magnitude-6.2 earthquake struck off Japan's battered northeastern coast Thursday, but there was no risk of a tsunami and there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Japan's Meteorological Agency said the quake was centered off the coast of Ibaraki, about 140 miles (220 kilometers) east of Tokyo, at a depth of 6 miles (10 kilometers). The agency said there was no danger of a tsunami from the quake.

Nearly 20,000 people died or were left missing across Japan's northeastern coast after a massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11. The disaster damaged a nuclear power plant, forcing another 100,000 people to leave their homes because of a radiation threat.

The operator of the tsunami-hit Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co., said the plant's cooling functions were intact after Thursday's quake and there was no change to radiation levels around the plant. The plant is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of the epicenter.