Powerful quake hits in Pacific Ocean north of Japan, far east of Russia

4/18/2013

TOKYO — The Japan Meteorological Agency says a 7.0-magnitude earthquake has struck off far northern Japan and far eastern Russia.

The tremor around midday Friday was in the Pacific Ocean at a relatively shallow depth of 6.2 miles.

The agency said sea changes were possible but no damage was expected.

The epicenter was 160 miles east-northeast of Kuril'sk, Russia, and 328 miles northeast of Nemuro, Japan.

The area is almost 930 miles northeast of Tokyo.