Quake rocks Tokyo, east Japan; no tsunami alert

TOKYO (AA) – A moderately strong earthquake shook eastern Japan and the capital Tokyo region Sunday afternoon, but no tsunami alert was issued.

Local news agency Kyodo cited the Japan Meteorological Agency as saying that the temblor had a preliminary magnitude of 5.0 with its epicenter in Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, at 1.24 p.m. (0424GMT).

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage after the quake, which the U.S. Geological Survey recorded as occurring at a depth of 43.6 kilometers (27 miles).

It struck three months after two powerful earthquakes hit southwest Japan, leaving at least 49 people dead.