2008/7/24,The second major earthquake in 40 days rocked the Tohoku region early Thursday, injuring at least 107 people, causing extensive damage and prompting a call to the Self-Defense Forces for relief efforts.

The quake, with an estimated magnitude of 6.8, struck at 12:26 a.m., with its epicenter in the northern coast of Iwate Prefecture, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

An intensity of upper 6 on the Japanese seismic scale of 7 was recorded in Hirono in northern Iwate Prefecture, while a lower-6 intensity was measured in Noda, Iwate Prefecture, and Hachinohe and elsewhere in Aomori Prefecture.

According to the National Police Agency, as of 1 p.m., 107 people suffered injuries, including 16 with broken bones and other serious wounds.

Fifty-two of the injured were in Aomori Prefecture, 39 in Iwate Prefecture, 11 in Miyagi Prefecture, two in Akita Prefecture, and one each in Chiba Prefecture, Yamagata Prefecture and Hokkaido.

There were no reports of fatalities or people missing.

"As soon as I noticed the quake, I felt the tremor go up and down at first, then suddenly there were strong sways, which gradually became stronger and continued for about a minute," said a 33-year-old Hirono city official who was working late. "I'm perturbed."

Book shelves were knocked over and parts of the walls peeled off, he said.

At least 31 buildings were damaged in the quake.