5.7-magnitude quake jolts off northeastern Japan

Local resident evacuees are seen at the gymnasium of Kamaishi elementary school after an evacuation warning was issued for coastal towns in Iwate prefecture in northeastern Japan after a tsunami warning was broadcast following a 6.9 magnitude earthquake, in Kamaishi, Iwate prefecture, in this photo taken by Kyodo February 17, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

TOKYO - A 5.7-magnitude quake jolted off Japan's coast on Tuesday, with strong tremor felt in parts of northeastern Japan.

The quake occurred at 13:50 pm local time (0450 GMT) at a depth of around 50 km. It registered upper 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in parts of Aomori prefecture and lower 5 in Iwate Prefecture.

The epicenter was initially determined at 40.1 degrees north latitude and 142.1 degrees east longitude. No tsunami warning was issued immediately after the quake, according to Japan's Meteorological Agency.

Earlier in the day, a 6.9-magnitude quake jolted the Pacific Ocean off northeastern Japan, briefly triggering a 1-meter tsunami warning.