TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s meteorological agency issued a tsunami advisory Tuesday morning to remote islands south of Tokyo after an earthquake that may have been triggered by volcanic activity.
The offshore quake was not felt, and no damage or injuries have been reported.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said a magnitude 5.9 quake hit off the Izu Islands and tsunami waves up to 1 meter (yards) above tide levels could occur on the coasts of the Izu and Ogasawara island chains. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake’s strength at 5.6 magnitude.
The agency predicted small swelling of waves along the southeastern Pacific coasts but said there is no danger from it.
The JMA said a tsunami of about 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) was detected in the Yaene district on Hachijo Island about 30 minutes after the quake.
Smaller tsunamis have been detected on three other islands —Kozushima, Miyakejima and Izu Oshima, the agency said.
The offshore quake occurred about 180 kilometers (111 miles) south of Hachijo island, which is about 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of Tokyo, the agency said.
Residents on Hachijo island said they did not feel the quake and only heard the tsunami advisory, Japan’s NHK public television said.
Fumihiko Imamura, a Tohoku University seismologist, said Tuesday’s tsunami is believed to be related to undersea volcanic activity. He said larger tsunami could arrive much later and urged coastal residents to keep their guards up while the advisory is in place.
About 21,500 people live on the islands in the Izu group and about 2,500 on the Ogasawara Islands.
Japan sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean, and is one of the world’s most earthquake and tsunami-prone countries.
Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press
