Korean Peninsula hit by 60 quakes last year, most in 31 years

SEOUL, Jan. 17 (Yonhap) -- The frequency of earthquakes jolting the Korean
Peninsula reached its highest level in 31 years in 2009, the Korean
Meteorological Administration said Sunday, amid heightened public awareness
following the massive quake in Haiti last week.
The number of quakes came to 60 last year, the most since 1978, when the country
started to compile related data, and up from an average of 41 in the 1999-2008
period.
During the reported year, the peninsula was also hit 10 times by tremors with a
magnitudes of 2.5 or higher, up from an average of nine times in the 10-year
period.
But the number of quakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or higher decreased to eight
from an average of nine in the 1999-2008 period.
(END)