SEOUL, July 5 (Yonhap) -- Hundreds of people evacuated a high-rise shopping mall in Seoul Tuesday morning as it began shaking for unknown reasons, fire authorities said.

   Between 300 to 500 people fled the 39-story TechnoMart mall in eastern Seoul after the upper part of the building began rocking up and down for about 10 minutes, the authorities said. There were about 3,000 people inside the building at around 10:10 a.m. when it began to move.

   "I fled the building with everyone else while it was shaking up and down. It almost made me feel dizzy," said Lim Joon-hee, who works on the 20th floor.

   The exact cause of the swaying is not known at this time, the local government office of Gwangjin District said, adding it plans to conduct a safety test on the building.

   As part of a safety check, district authorities briefly issued an evacuation order, which could last as long as three days.

   "We will immediately place the order and conduct a thorough safety examination," a district official said.

   The skyscraper accommodates hundreds of retailers selling electronics, housewares and books, as well as a multiplex and a number of commercial offices.

   pbr@yna.co.kr
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