Magnitude 7.0 earthquake rocks Russia's Kuril Island

A strong earthquake, measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale, struck the Kuril Islands of Russia at 11.05 am today, the Malaysian Meteorological Department reported.

It said in a statement that the epicentre of the quake was 766 kilometres northeast of Asahikawa, Japan, and 5,502 kilometres northeast of Kudat, Sabah.

The quake did not pose any threat of a tsunami, it added.