TOKYO (AP) _ A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.9 shook parts of
eastern Japan today. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The Meteorological Agency said the 9:48 p.m. local time quake was centered about 12 miles
underground in central Yamanashi Prefecture, about 60 miles west of Tokyo.

The temblor was felt as far away as central Tokyo.

There was no danger of tsunami, undersea waves triggered by volcanic activity or
earthquakes, the agency said.

A quake of magnitude 4 can shake houses and cause hanging objects, such as lamps, to swing.

SCIENTISTS WARN OF POSSIBLE OREGON QUAKE

Copyright © 1999 Nando Media Copyright © 1999 Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (May 10, 1999 12:40 a.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com ) - Scientists have warned for years that a magnitude 8 or 9 earthquake could strike about 30 miles off the Oregon coast, causing huge tsunamis and tremendous damage. Now they say it could hit much farther inland and cause severe damage to cities such as Portland, Salem and Eugene.

Geologic evidence suggests that such quakes occur about every 400 years, plus or minus 200 years. The last one, believed to be a magnitude 9, occurred 300 years ago, previous studies showed.

A magnitude 8 quake can cause tremendous damage. The devastating San Francisco quake of 1906 has been estimated at 7.9; the Mexico City quake of 1985 that left thousands dead was measured at 8.1.

Chris Goldfinger, a marine geologist at Oregon State University, and his colleagues presented their findings recently in Seattle at the annual meeting of the Seismological Society of America.

Central California Earthquake
Pat Jorgensen, a spokesperson for the United States Geological Service office in Menlo Park, California, said the quake struck at 6:22 a.m. PDT (9:22 a.m. EDT) and was centered about 15 miles south of the town of Mammoth Lakes.