Rare quake
South Korea’s southeast hit by 5.4-magnitude temblor, the second most powerful quake on record in a country that seldom experiences significant tremors.
SEOUL: A rare 5.4-magnitude earthquake hit South Korea’s southeast, the second most powerful quake on record, in a country that seldom experiences significant tremors.
Yesterday’s quake, which was felt across much of the country, including in the capital Seoul, struck at the shallow depth of 9km near the southeastern industrial city of Pohang at around 2.30pm local time, the Korea Meteorological Administration said.
The Korean peninsula rarely has to worry about significant quakes.
But seismic activity is closely mon- itored because a spike in activity is often the first indication that North Korea has carried out a nuclear test.
The South Korean port city of Pohang is home to the headquarters of Posco – the country’s top, and the world’s fourth largest, steel maker.
No immediate damage was reported in the firm’s steel mills.
Photos and video footage sent to local TV stations showed crumbled street walls and furniture violently shaking inside people’s homes and people rushing out of buildings in panic.
However, there were no imme- diate reports of injuries.
Images posted on social media showed shattered store fronts, goods tumbled off store shelves, cars smashed by fallen bricks and cracks on the ground.
South Korean President Moon Jaein, on his way to Seoul after attending the Asean summit in Manila, is set to hold an emergency meeting upon arrival, his office said.
Local nuclear reactors were operating without disruption, Yonhap news agency said, citing officials at Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power. — AFP