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'It felt like a nightmare': Chungju residents react to 3.1-magnitude earthquake

Published: 07 Feb. 2025, 12:02

Residents of Chungju share their surprised reactions on online communities after an earthquake struck the region early Friday morning. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A 3.1-magnitude earthquake struck Chungju in North Chungcheong early Friday, startling residents in the middle of the night and prompting authorities to issue a quake alert.

The earthquake occurred at 2:35 a.m., 22 kilometers (13.6 miles) northwest of Chungju City Hall, with the epicenter in the town of Angseong at a depth of 9 kilometers, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

Local online communities were flooded with reactions, with many residents saying they were jolted awake by the quake and the emergency alert. One resident shared, "I woke up because my apartment was shaking."

Many said they struggled to fall back asleep, fearing possible aftershocks. Some were reminded of a 4.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Goesan near Chungju in September 2022.

Residents of Chungju share their surprised reactions on online communities after an earthquake struck the region early Friday morning. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

“There was a massive aftershock when the earthquake struck Goesan, and I still haven’t forgotten the feeling of my apartment shaking,” one local resident said. “It felt like a nightmare returning from three years ago.”

Another resident near Yeongsu-dong in Chungju said, "I thought my house was collapsing," while someone living in western Chungju reported feeling “their bed shake for about 1.2 seconds.”

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety received 23 reports from people who felt the tremor. City officials and the Interior Ministry said they were monitoring for additional damage reports, though none had been confirmed as of 9:30 a.m.

Authorities activated the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) and issued a quake alert at the "vigilance" level. The four-tier alert system ranges from "attention" to "seriousness."

The KMA initially estimated the magnitude at 4.2 but later revised it down to 3.1. This week's quake is the strongest among seven quakes that have struck the Korean Peninsula this year.

BY JUNG SI-NAE,WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]