Tsunami Warnings Issued In Japan

A strong quake shook northern Japan early Tuesday and Japan's Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings.

The magnitude 6.9 quake at 6:39 a.m. (4:39 p.m. Monday EST) was centered off the coast of Sanriku in northern Japan, the agency said. The U.S. Geological Survey put the magnitude at 7.2. There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy.

The agency said a tsunami could reach coastlines on Japan's Pacific Coast between 7:10 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. in Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Hokkaido, the agency said.

The agency said the tsunami could be as high as 20 inches. Such waves are often barely noticeable in the ocean but can rise to greater heights once they arrive at shore.

There were no immediate reports of injuries, according to national broadcaster NHK.