A 4.8 magnitude earthquake in southwestern South Korea causes broken windows and other minor damage

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A 4.8-magnitude earthquake shattered windows and caused other minor damage in a fishing community in southwestern South Korea on Wednesday, but no injuries were reported.

The earthquake, which had an estimated depth of 8 kilometers (5 miles), was the strongest detected in South Korea this year.

Jo Hae-jin, an official with the North Joella provincial fire department, said authorities received nearly 80 calls from residents who felt the tremor.

She said authorities have so far confirmed three minor cases of property damage in Buan, including a fractured wall in a warehouse, a broken window and broken tiles in two houses.

South Korea’s meteorological agency said people would have felt the tremor in the southwestern region of North Jeolla province.

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-Soo, the country’s No. 2 official behind President Yoon Suk Yeol, instructed authorities to guard against the possibility of aftershocks and prepare to evacuate residents safely and protect essential infrastructure such as power plants and transport networks.