6.4 magnitude earthquake strikes western Japan

By Riyaz ul Khaliq and Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of Japan’s Ishikawa prefecture on Tuesday, the country’s meteorological agency reported.

The earthquake, which occurred at 1347GMT, had an epicenter at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.21 miles).

US Geological Survey recorded the magnitude as 6.1 and said it happened 35 kilometers (21.7 miles) northwest of the city of Hakui.

No immediate damage or tsunami warnings were reported.

Officials urged residents to remain calm in areas where strong tremors were felt.

In January, a major earthquake devastated the Noto Peninsula and nearby areas of central Japan. It left 281 people dead in Ishikawa prefecture.

Ishikawa prefecture lies on the central Chubu region of Honshu, Japan's main island, forming a prominent peninsula on its western coast.