TOKYO - A strong 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck early Sunday off the Kuril Islands, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake was registered at 07:17 am (1917 GMT Saturday), and centred 288 kilometres (179 miles) east-northeast of Kuril'sk in the Kuril Islands, at a depth of 35 kilometers, the USGS said.

The epicentre was 1,514 kilometres northeast of Tokyo, it said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said it did not expect the quake to trigger a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami.

The Kurils are disputed between Russia and Japan.

- AFP /ls