USGS: Quake of 6.4 magnitude rattles east coast of Japan

US seismologists recorded a 6.4-magnitude earthquake Monday rattling the sea area off the east coast of Honshu, the major island of Japan.

Fortunately no tsunami alert was issued.

The quake had a depth of 31 kilometres (20 miles) and hit at 5:32am (2032 GMT Sunday) some 140 kilometres east of the city of Sendai, according to US Geological Survey.

Japan Meteorological Agency identified it at magnitude 6.1, and a little deeper at 40 km (25 miles). — ARA