A strong earthquake measuring 6.7 on Richter scale struck northeastern part of Japan this morning, rattling the areas hardest hit by the March 11 quake and tsunami disasters. The quake hit at 6:51 am local time some 50 km off the east coast of Miyako, Iwate prefecture, at a depth of 20 km in the Pacific. Authorities issued a tsunami warning which was later withdrawn. There are no immediate reports of damage from the quake. Local authorities issued evacuation orders to some 8,000 households in Iwate. Shinkansen bullet train services were temporarily suspended.