Two earthquakes rattle South Korea; #PrayforKorea trends

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Two earthquakes rattle South Korea; #PrayforKorea trends
South Korean high school students leave their school after an earthquake in Ulsan, about 300 kms southeast of Seoul, on September 12, 2016.

Seoul, South Korea - The Korea Meteorological Administration said the quakes measured magnitude 5.1 and 5.8 and were centered near Gyeongju city.

By AP

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Published: Mon 12 Sep 2016, 6:51 PM

Last updated: Tue 13 Sep 2016, 1:01 AM

Two strong earthquakes jolted an historic city in southeastern South Korea on Monday, but there were no reports of serious injuries or damage, officials said. 
The Korea Meteorological Administration said the quakes measured magnitude 5.1 and 5.8 and were centered near Gyeongju city. It said the magnitude-5.8 quake was the largest ever recorded in South Korea. 
Local television showed children hiding under a dinner table and goods falling off the shelves at a supermarket. 
Officials said two people received minor injuries, but gave no further details. The Yonhap news agency said minor cracks appeared in some buildings, but no major damage was reported. 
The quakes shook large areas of the country, including the capital, Seoul, where tall buildings swayed. 
South Korea experiences relatively little seismic activity, unlike neighboring Japan, which has frequent major quakes. 
Gyeongju was the capital of one of the Korean Peninsula's ancient kingdoms and is now a popular tourist destination.
Meanwhile, #PrayforKorea started trending on Twitter.
 

A South Korean official points to a map showing the epicenter seismic waves after an earthquake at the Korea Meteorological Administration in Seoul on September 9, 2016.
A South Korean official points to a map showing the epicenter seismic waves after an earthquake at the Korea Meteorological Administration in Seoul on September 9, 2016.

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