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 east of Tokyo, at a depth of 6 miles. 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 northwest of the epicenter.Also Thursday: The U.S. Geological Survey has registered a magnitude 6.0 earthquake that hit off the coast of Cuba. The quake happened early Thursday at 4:43 a.m. local time about 25 miles off Cuba’s coast and 375 miles southeast of Cuba’s capital Havana. USGS geophysicist Randy Baldwin says earthquakes are common in that area of the sea and no tsunami warnings have been issued. He also said the quake wasn’t expected to cause damage on land, citing its remoteness. more
