Rare quake in South Korea leaves 1500 homeless; nationwide university entrance exam postponed

Seoul, November 16: While the earthquake is very common in the neighboring country Japan, quake is very rare in South Korea. The second strongest earthquake of 5.4 magnitudes in decades hit the south-eastern port city of Pohang on Wednesday afternoon. Though no one has died, still it has created enough havoc. The quake has left more than 15,00 people homeless and 57 people injured. More importantly, for the first time ever the country has its nationwide college entrance exam.

Till Thursday morning, 1,536 people had been forced to evacuate their homes and 57 people were injured, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said in a statement. As per reports 1,000 houses and dozens of other buildings and cars were damaged or destroyed. In military facilities, bridges, port facilities and water supply facilities, crakes were found.

The worst effect is that Education Ministry had to postpone hugely competitive exam, scheduled for Thursday. The exam is so important sometimes referred to as "life assignment exam”. Even Commercial airliners do not fly during listening portions of the exam. South Korea’s Education Minister Education said, "Due to the continued aftershocks, we are seeing many citizens, including students, unable to return home."