5.6-magnitude quake detected in N.Korea

An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale was detected around North Korea's nuclear test site on Sunday, the Seoul military said indicating that Pyongyang has conducted its sixth nuclear test.

The artificial quake wave was detected around the Punggye-ri site in the North Hamgyeong province, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The military said it was analysing whether the temblor came from a nuke test.

Seoul's weather agency said that the seismic wave was recorded at 12.36 p.m.

The USGS said the epicentre was recorded 24 km east-northeast of Sungjibaegam and zero km deep.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has convened an emergency National Security Council (NSC) meeting following the earthquake and a report by North Korean state-media that Kim Jong-un inspected a hydrogen bomb being loaded into a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) after it claimed to have made a "more developed nuke".

Since 2006, North Korea has carried out five nuclear tests, including two last year.

--IANS

ksk