The ministry's Sakhalin regional department said the earthquake on the North Pacific island controlled by Russia occurred nearly 20 miles north of the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, ITAR-TASS reported.

The Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk seismic station said the epicenter of the earthquake was more than 6 miles underground.

The ministry department told ITAR-TASS that Saturday's tremor did not result in any fatalities, injuries or significant damage.