Magnitude 3.0 Earthquake Strikes 4 km North-Northeast of Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi...No Damage Reports

First Earthquake of Magnitude 3.0 or Higher This Year

An earthquake with a magnitude of 3.0 occurred near Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province, at around 4:13 a.m. on the 15th. No damage reports have been received so far.

Earthquake location in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province. Provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, a natural earthquake with a magnitude of 3.0 was observed at 4:13:38 a.m. that day, 4 km north-northeast of Yeoncheon-gun (latitude 38.13 degrees north, longitude 127.10 degrees east). The focal depth was analyzed to be 9 km.

This was the strongest earthquake to occur on the Korean Peninsula so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, there have been a total of eight earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.0 or higher on the Korean Peninsula and in the surrounding seas. Among them, this is the first with a magnitude of 3.0 or higher. The remaining seven had magnitudes of at least 2.0 but less than 3.0.

The maximum instrumental intensity recorded on seismographs was 3, a level at which people indoors, especially on the upper floors of buildings, can clearly feel the shaking and stationary objects may move slightly. By region, the instrumental intensity was 3 in Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province, and 2 in Gimpo, Dongducheon, Paju, and Pocheon in Gyeonggi Province, as well as Cheorwon-gun in Gangwon Province. An intensity of 2 is a level that only a few people in a quiet state or on the upper floors of buildings can feel.

This is the 19th earthquake with a magnitude of 3.0 or higher to occur within a 50 km radius of the epicenter since 1978. The largest earthquake within this range was a magnitude 3.3 quake that occurred on May 10 last year.

An official at the Northern Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters stated, "There have been no earthquake-related reports so far." The Korea Meteorological Administration said, "People in areas near the epicenter may feel the tremors," and urged the public "to pay attention to safety."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.