Minor quake in Russia's Far East, no casualties

MOSCOW, Mar 9 (Reuters) A minor earthquake was felt in Russia's Far East today and there were no reports of any casualties or damage, emergency services said.

Emergency Ministry spokesman Viktor Beltsov said no information was available on the magnitude of the quake. It was likely to be below 3.5 on the Richter scale.

Japan's meteorological agency registered a magnitude 6.2 earthquake at 0854 hrs IST in Russia's far east at the depth of 500 km.

A Russian regional emergency services spokesman said the earthquake struck 400 km south-east of the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on Sakhalin Island off Russia's Pacific Coast.

Sakhalin Island, to the north of Japan's Hokkaido Island, is eight time zones and 7,000 km (4,500 miles) east of Moscow.

The rim of fire around the Pacific Ocean, where two tectonic plates collide with each other, is one of the most prone to earthquakes in the world.

Reuters SY DB1240