M3.1 earthquake struck Chungju city early Friday morning; no damage reported

Early this morning, a magnitude 3.1 earthquake hit South Korea's central city of Chungju, with reports of shaking in surrounding areas.

No major damage has been reported yet.

Our Kim Jung-sil reports.

Early Friday morning, around 2:35 AM, a magnitude 3.1 earthquake struck the central region of the country, waking people with the shake.

The epicenter was located about 22 kilometers northwest of Chungju city, at a depth of 9 kilometers.

Initially, the Korea Meteorological Administration estimated the quake's magnitude at 4.2, but after further analysis, it was revised to 3.1.

The initial estimate of 4.2 triggered emergency disaster alerts across a wide area, including Chungcheong-do, Gyeonggi-do, and even parts of Seoul.

South Korea uses the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale to measure earthquake intensity, with 10 being the strongest. In this case, the highest tremor intensity reported in Chungju was level 5, or moderate intensity.

"This earthquake caused tremors with a maximum intensity of level 5 in Chungcheongbuk-do Province, and shaking was also detected in parts of Gangwon-do and Gyeonggi-do provinces. Level 5 means that nearly everyone in the area felt the shaking, with items like dishes and windows breaking, and unstable objects tipping over. Following the earthquake, two aftershocks occurred by 8:30 AM, with smaller magnitudes."

Expert also suggested further caution for those in the affected areas.

"Although this earthquake, with a magnitude of 3.1, is relatively small compared to those occurring in seismic hotspots, it may have caused strong shaking that could make some people feel uneasy. If you feel tremors during an earthquake, it is important to stay calm and prioritize protecting your head and body."

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has confirmed that there were no significant injuries or damages, with 23 earthquake-related reports across the regions as of 2:54 AM, the most coming from Gangwon-do with 13 reports.

The Ministry has activated the emergency response system and issued an earthquake warning for the affected areas.

It has also dispatched a field situation manager to Chungju to oversee the situation and ensure proper management.

Kim Jung-sil, Arirang News.