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Japan hit by 6.1 magnitude earthquake

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has hit off the coast of Japan near tsunami ravaged Fukushima, the US Geological Survey says.

The agency’s website says the quake hit early on Thursday about 283 kilometres southeast of the city of Kamaishi and more than 322km east of Fukushima.

A massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused meltdowns at three reactors in the Fukushima nuclear plant.

It was the world’s worst atomic accident since Chernobyl in 1986 and Tokyo Electric is still attempting to clean up and dismantle the reactors in a process expected to last decades.

Fewer than 40 reports of people feeling Thursday’s quake were registered on the Geological Survey website.

Japan sits at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences a number of relatively violent earthquakes every year.

Strict building codes ensure even strong tremors typically do little damage.

The Japanese tremor comes as Mexico is reeling from a magnitude-7.1 earthquake that collapsed buildings and killed at least 225 people.

– With AAP

Topics: Earthquakes
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