Magnitude 6.1 quake hits off Russia's Kuril Islands - USGS

(Reuters) - A magnitude 6.1 quake struck off Russia's Kuril Islands, southeast of the Kamchatka peninsula, which lies on the earthquake-prone Ring of Fire, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The epicentre of the quake, initially reported as a magnitude 6.5, was 168 miles (270 km) east of the small town of Severo-Kurilsk, the USGS said.

The quake struck at 10:06 a.m. on Friday (2206 GMT on Thursday). The area is sparsely populated.

(Reporting by Sandra Maler in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney)