Japan lifts tsunami warning after 6.1 quake

OSAKA – (UPDATE) Japan lifted a tsunami warning after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit off the northeast coast of Japan on Monday, the weather agency said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency had earlier issued a 50-centimetre (18 inch) tsunami warning for the Pacific coast of Miyagi prefecture, which was devastated by the huge earthquake and tsunami that hit on March 11.

The US Geological Survey had earlier alerted a 6.5-magnitude earthquake but then downgraded its strength. The epicenter was at a depth of 17 kilometres, it added.

Japan’s weather agency said that the quake was likely an aftershock of the massive tremor more than two weeks ago, and warned of more to come.