No tsunami warning was issued after an earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck the east coast of Japan's northeastern Tohoku region, the Japan Meteorological Agency said on Thursday.

The epicentre of the quake was off the coast of Iwate prefecture, at the depth of about 50 km, and no damage from tsunami is feared except for slight sea level changes, the agency said.

The earthquake hit Aomori prefecture with an intensity of 6-plus, a situation where typically "it is impossible to remain standing or to move without crawling", on the Japanese scale of 0-7, it said.

There were no immediate reports of major damage.

Tohoku Electric Power said no irregularities were found at its Onagawa and idled Higashidori nuclear power plants following the earthquake.

East Japan Railway said it has halted some trains, including Tohoku Shinkansen high-speed rail services, after the quake.

One local woman in the town of Hashikami, where the shaking was strongest, told AFP that the only damage in her home was a photo frame falling down.

Footage on public broadcaster NHK showed regular traffic in Hachinohe city with traffic lights still functioning as normal.

Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. Japan accounts for about one-fifth of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater. (Agencies)



Edited by Cecil Wong