Small 2.3-magnitude earthquake hits North Korea

Feb. 13 (UPI) -- A 2.3-magnitude earthquake struck an area of North Korea facing China early Wednesday, according to South Korea's meteorological agency.

Seoul said the earthquake occurred at about 8.7 miles from Ongjin, South Hwanghae Province, according to Yonhap news agency.

The epicenter was located at 37.80 degrees north latitude and 125.38 degrees east longitude. The earthquake had a five-mile depth, and natural causes were cited as the reason for the tremor, Seoul said.

The quake comes only a few days after South Korea reported an earthquake in waters near Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province.

The 4.6-magnitude tremor occurred only three months after a medium-sized quake struck the South Korean region, YTN Radio reported.

The Sunday South Korea earthquake were aftershocks because it occurred at the point corresponding to the southwestern tip of a cracked fault plane, said Hong Tae-kyung, an analyst with Yonsei University.

Hong also said it unlikely the Pohang earthquake and aftershock were indirectly connected to a North Korea nuclear test in September 2017.

In early February a 2.6-magnitude earthquake struck an area of North Korea where Pyongyang had been conducting its underground nuclear tests.

South Korea's meteorological agency said Tuesday the earthquake originated from an area about 30 miles north-northwest of Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, and is likely to have been triggered by North Korea's sixth nuclear test.