(2nd LD) Magnitude-5.8 quake detected off N. Korea's east coast: U.S. Geological Survey

(ATTN: UPDATES with revision of quake's magnitude, additional report; CHANGES attribution)

WASHINGTON, July 12 (Yonhap) -- A magnitude-5.8 earthquake was detected off North Korea's east coast Thursday (local time), the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The tremor occurred 176 kilometers east-southeast of Hoemul-li, North Korea, at a depth of 537.6 km below the East Sea, it said on its website.

The quake does not appear to have been caused by a nuclear test, Reuters quoted Pentagon spokesman Maj. Jamie Davis as saying, pointing to its location and depth.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center reported the earthquake to be of magnitude 5.9.

It occurred at 4:18 a.m. North Korean time, 537 kilometers below the seabed and 193 kilometers southeast of Rajin, northeastern North Korea, the center said.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued no alerts as a result of the quake.

hague@yna.co.kr
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