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5.4-magnitude earthquake hits southern South Korea

Posted November. 16, 2017 07:07,   

Updated November. 16, 2017 08:42

한국어

A 5.4-magnitute earthquake shook Pohang City, North Gyeongsang Province on Wednesday. After the 5.8-magnitute quake that struck Gyeongju City, North Gyeongsang Province in September 2016, another quake has occurred in 14 months. Though its weaker quake, the damage will be more severe as the quake started at a shallower location. As the quake with a magnitude above five occurred again following the quake originated in Gyeongju, which was reported the strongest quake recorded in Korea since Korea’s modern meteorological observation started and a quake that comes once in hundreds years, the public becomes increasingly anxious.

On Wednesday, nine quakes, including foreshocks and aftershocks, occurred in Pohang. The first quake with a magnitude of 2.2 struck at 2:22 p.m. about seven kilometers north of Pohang. Twelve seconds later, the second quake with a magnitude of 2.6 hit about 7.4 kilometers northwest of Pohang. A series of quakes followed.

Seven minutes after two foreshocks at 2:29 p.m., the main temblor with a magnitude of 5.4 hit about nine kilometers north of Pohang. Though it was weaker than the quake that hit Gyeongju, the epicenter was only nine kilometers deep and the shaking was more intense from the ground.

Six aftershocks followed after the main quake during the day. Four minutes after the main quake, the first aftershock with a magnitude of 3.6 occurred at 2:32 p.m. about seven kilometers north of Pohang. Aftershocks with magnitude ranging from 2.4 to 3.6 followed for about 30 minutes.



Mee-Jee Lee image@donga.com