In Korea, the tremors from an earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan were felt, prompting more than 700 calls to report it.
According to the National Fire Agency on the 28th, as of 5:30 p.m. that day, 789 reports of feeling tremors were received nationwide. Busan had the most with 291, followed by South Gyeongsang (including Changwon) with 215 and Ulsan with 125. North Gyeongsang and South Jeolla-Gwangju also received 69 and 55 earthquake-related reports, respectively.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said an earthquake occurred at about 4:27 p.m. that day in an area 23 kilometers south of Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. Right after the quake, people in Korea who felt the shaking called fire authorities with messages like "Was there an earthquake?" and "The ground is shaking."
In Busan, South Gyeongsang, South Jeolla-Gwangju, and Jeju, tremors of up to instrumental intensity 3 were reportedly detected. Instrumental intensity 3 refers to vibrations that "are clearly felt indoors, especially by people on the upper floors of buildings, and cause parked cars to shake slightly."
Ulsan also recorded vibrations of magnitude 2. This is a level of shaking that a small number of people in a quiet state or on the upper floors of buildings can feel.
In the Danyang, Jecheon, Chungju, and Yeongdong areas, tremors of intensity 2 were detected, and in Goesan, Boeun, Okcheon, Eumseong, Jincheon, and Cheongju, tremors of intensity 1 were detected. Intensity 1 is not felt by people but is recorded by seismographs.
Related reports were also filed in the Seoul metropolitan area: one in Seoul, 17 in Incheon, and four in Gyeonggi. In Incheon, starting at about 4:35 p.m. that day, reports came in one after another centered on Songdo-dong in Yeonsu District.
In Siheung and Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi as well, there were reports such as "We felt vibrations in the building while working at a factory" and "Was there an earthquake alert?"
Fire authorities said there have been no reports of casualties or property damage so far.