Strong earthquakes hit Indonesia and Japan early Thursday triggering a tsunami alert in both countries.
Indonesia's geological agency says one quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6, struck beneath the Moluccas islands.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude at 6.6.
Japan's
meteorological agency says a magnitude seven earthquake struck off the
coast of the country's northernmost island, Hokkaido.
The agency
issued a warning for a 50 centimeter high tsunami along the eastern
coast of Hokkaido and the northeastern coast of the island of Honshu.
No reports of damage or casualties were immediately available from either quake.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.