Powerful aftershocks jolt southern parts of the country again

Students evacuate to the sports ground of Kyungpook National University High School in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, after a 4.5 magnitude earthquake struck 11 kilometers southwest of the city Monday at around 8:33 p.m. The Korea Meteorological Administration said the tremor was an aftershock of the 5.8 magnitude earthquake which occurred Sept. 12. / Yonhap

By Jhoo Dong-chan

Another earthquake with a 4.5-magnitude and epicenter 11 kilometers southwest of Gyeongju struck North Gyeongsang Province at around 8:33 p.m., Monday.

A series of aftershocks were also detected in the area shortly afterward with the strongest being measured at a 2.1-magnitude as of 9:30 p.m.

A rush of reports related to the quake and its aftershocks flooded the Daegu Metropolitan City Fire Department, the largest disaster response agency in the province. Small tremors were even detected in the capital area.

“I was sitting on a couch in my apartment, and sudden vibrations shook me for around three seconds,” said a Gangseo-gu resident surnamed Kim.

Over 470 phone calls, including one from Kim, flooded into the Gyeonggi Disaster and Safety Headquarters inquiring about the tremors in Gyeonggi Province.

Meanwhile some schools in the Busan area cancelled night self-study sessions and sent students home.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the current tremors are aftershocks from the 5.8-magnitude earthquake that occurred near Gyeongju, Sept. 12.

That was the most powerful temblor in Korea since 1978 when the nation started collecting information on seismic events. Following this quake, at least 22 aftershocks with magnitudes of 2 to 3 were detected the same day.

Six people were injured, including an elderly woman whose television fell from its mounting, and more than 30 minor cases of property damages were also reported.

Korea has long been considered a haven from seismic activity due to its long distance from the so-called “Ring of Fire,” where 90 percent of major earthquakes take place.

However, a series of recent shocks have raised concern that the country may be no longer in an earthquake “safe zone.”

Experts say that if an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 or above hits Korea, mass casualties are possible because most of buildings are not built to endure quakes.