Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake Offshore of Japan

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Saturday off the coast of southwest Japan, triggering a small tsunami, followed by another 6.5 earthquake shortly after.  There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The USGS says the first quake struck at 5:51 a.m. local time, or 12:51 p.m. PDT, approximately 99 miles southwest of Makurazaki, Japan. The second one occurred 32 seconds later, 9 miles away.

There was no immediate tsunami danger to the U.S. West Coast, British Columbia and Alaska, the National Tsunami Warning Center said.

In 2011, a massive earthquake caused a tsunami that left more than 18,000 people dead or missing in north-eastern Japan.

Some 230,000 people have yet to return to their home towns since the disaster reported the BBC.

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