The government activated “Level One” of its emergency response posture on Wednesday evening after a three-point-four magnitude earthquake occurred at an area 12 kilometers south-southwest of the city of Gongju in South Chungcheong Province at 9:46 p.m.

The interior and safety ministry said the lowest level of the three-tier emergency response posture of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters was activated nine minutes later, while also setting the earthquake crisis alert level for the country at “caution.”

The National Fire Agency said it received a total of 387 reports of tremors, including 240 in South Chungcheong Province, 103 in Daejeon and 27 in Sejong City, but no reports of damage has yet to come in from the quake with an epicenter estimated at 12 kilometers deep.

Seismic intensity, which gauges the severity of shaking, was estimated to be the highest at five in South Chungcheong Province. At such a level, most people feel tremors and dishes or windows could break.

Interior and safety minister Lee Sang-min instructed related agencies and local governments to work closely together and maintain emergency response systems to swiftly report any damage and to swiftly take necessary steps.

The government activates “Level One” of its emergency response posture if a quake of magnitude of four or more occurs or the seismic intensity level stands at five or higher.