An earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale hit seas near Bonin Islands, Japan at 3:00 P.M. (0700 GMT) Wednesday, according to a bulletin released by the Hong Kong Observatory.

The epicenter was initially determined to be 27.0 degrees north latitude and 142.7 degrees east longitude, about 1010 km southeast of Tokyo, Japan.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damages.

(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2008)