7.0 magnitude quake strikes off northeast Japan

WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) - A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck beneath the north Pacific Ocean 77 miles (123 km) east northeast of Iwaki, Japan at 0239 GMT at a depth of 25 miles(40 km), the U.S. Geological Survey reported on Friday.

The Japanese government issued a Tsunami alert for northeast Japan after the temblor, originally reported at magnitude 6.6. Iwaki is in northeastern Honshu, Japan.