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North Korea: 3.4-magnitude earthquake caused by suspected explosion at surface, China says North Korea: 3.4-magnitude earthquake caused by suspected explosion at surface, China says
(35 minutes later)
China's earthquake administration says a magnitude-3.4 earthquake has been detected in North Korea that was a "suspected explosion". China's earthquake administration says a magnitude-3.4 earthquake has been detected in North Korea that was a "suspected explosion", raising fears the communist nation has tested another nuclear bomb.
The administration said in a statement on its website that the quake, which occurred around 8.30 am, was recorded a depth of zero kilometres. The administration said in a statement on its website that the quake, which occurred around 0830 GMT, was recorded at a depth of zero kilometres.
Previous quakes from North Korea have indicated nuclear tests by the reclusive state, the most recent earlier this month. The quake was centred near North Korea's nuclear test site. China's official Xinhua news agency said the epicentre was in roughly the same place as a similar shallow earthquake on 3 September, which turned out to be caused by North Korea's sixth and largest nuclear test.
South Korea's weather agency said it was analysing the nature of the quake and its initial view was that it was a natural earthquake.  The earthquake was detected in Kilju county in North Hamgyong Province, where North Korea's known Punggyeri nuclear site is located, according to South Korea's meteorological agency.
More follows… The organisation said it was analysing data about the quake and its initial view was that it was a natural earthquake.
  There was no immediate reaction from China's Foreign Ministry.
North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, who is currently in New York for a United Nations meeting, warned on Thursday that Mr Kim could consider a hydrogen bomb test of an unprecedented scale over the Pacific.
Mr Ri told reporters in New York a test of "the most powerful detonation of an H-bomb" was one possible "highest-level" action against the US.
But he said that he did not know exactly what the North's leader was planning. "We have no idea about what actions could be taken as it will be ordered by leader Kim Jong-un," he added.
The quake comes amid heightened tensions around the Korean Peninsula after the North conducted a series of missile tests, firing two over Japan.
Donald Trump used a speech at the United Nations on Thursday to threaten to annihilate the isolated communist nation and derided the North's leader as "a little rocket man".
Mr Kim responded with an unprecedented personal statement in which he said Mr Trump would "pay dearly for his speech".
Mr Kim said Mr Trump had insulted his country and he threatened to "surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged US dotard with fire"
Experts have Mr Kim's statement carried added weight because it was unusually addressed to an international audience.