KOTA KINABALU — The Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup advised the public not to panic following the strong aftershock measuring magnitude 6.8 at a depth of 678 km that occurred in the waters off Kota Kinabalu, Sabah at 12:57 am yesterday.
He stated that the information received so far indicates that the impact or effects of the incident are minimal to the country.
“Based on analysis of the tremor map system by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia), the shaking intensity was only at a weak level, covering the whole of Sabah and northern Sarawak. Although the tremors could be felt as far as Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia due to its depth in the Mantle Zone, the surface impact was weak and the risk of structural damage is generally low.
“There is no risk of a tsunami due to the great depth of the earthquake, and it did not cause significant disturbance or major uplift of the seabed. Therefore, residents in coastal areas need not worry about any tsunami threat at this time.
“This incident differs from the 2015 Ranau earthquake, which was shallow in nature. The earthquake today was a natural geological process occurring deep beneath the Earth’s crust as a result of oceanic plate movement,” he said in his yesterday press release.
He said further in general, the risk of building damage was low. However, tremors may be felt more strongly in areas with soft soil.
The Department of Minerals and Geoscience (JMG) is working together with local authorities to ensure that earthquake-resistant building codes continue to be strengthened for the safety of all.
“I would like to stress that the situation is under control. This phenomenon proves that Sabah is indeed geologically active; however, this morning’s incident does not pose a major threat to public safety,” said Arthur.
Through its agencies, the ministry continuously enhances the effectiveness of the Early Warning System (EWS) for disasters related to weather, earthquakes, and tsunamis to ensure that threat information can be delivered quickly, accurately, and comprehensively.
MET Malaysia will continue monitoring for any aftershocks and will provide updates should any seismic activity be detected. The public is urged not to spread false information that may cause anxiety, as JMG, MET Malaysia, and NADMA continuously monitor the situation 24 hours a day.
