Japan hit by 6.2 earthquake off coast of Honshu, day after Alaska quake

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Volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis: The ‘Ring of Fire’ explained

The Pacific’s “Ring of Fire” is a breeding ground for natural disasters. Here’s a look at the most recent incidents.

A day after a massive earthquake near Alaska sparked tsunami alerts for the U.S. West Coast, a magnitude 6.2 quake was reported early Wednesday off the coast of Japan, officials said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit at 9:50 p.m. local time about 64 miles northeast of the island of Honshu, at a depth of about 24 miles.

The temblor on Wednesday was much deeper and weaker than the one off the coast of Alaska. No tsunami watches or warnings were issued from the Japan quake, and there were no immediate reports of injuries.

The location of Wednesday's 6.2 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Japan. (USGS)

'RING OF FIRE' FURY STRIKES ALASKA, PHILIPPINES, JAPAN

It was just the latest spark of activity this week along the volatile "Ring of Fire" seismic fault system.

More than half the world's active volcanoes located above ground are in this ring, according to the USGS.

A map showing the "Ring of Fire," where more than half of the world's active volcanoes above sea level encircle the Pacific Ocean. (USGS)

The region is the location of most of Earth's subduction zones, where oceanic plates slide under the lighter continental plates. Earthquakes tend to happen when those plates scrape or subside underneath each other, and, when that happens at sea, it can spawn tsunamis

So far this week, activity in the area has included volcanic eruptions in Japan and the Phillipines, and Tuesday's earthquake off the coast of Alaska.