5.5-magnitude quake rocks off Aomori, NE Japan

TOKYO - A moderate quake initially measured at 5.5 magnitude rocked off Japan's Aomori Prefecture in northeastern Japan Monday, without risk of tsunami, according to Japan's Meteorological Agency.

The quake took place at around 3:01 pm local time with tremor hitting the Tohoku area and Hokkaido Prefecture. The temblor was registered at level 4 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in parts of Aomori Prefecture.

The epicenter was detected at 41.5 degree of north latitude and 142.0 degree of east longitude, with a depth of 70 km.

There were no immediate reports on damage and injuries.

Japan locates at the junction of several tectonic plates and is hit by a number of relatively strong quakes every year. An 8.5 magnitude quake hit off Ogasawara islands about 1000 km south of Tokyo last month and a monstrous quake devastated northeast Japan in March 2011.