Magnitude 5.0 quake strikes off Sabah, tremors felt on east coast

Magnitude 5.0 quake strikes off Sabah, tremors felt on east coast

LAHAD DATU: A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck off Sabah’s east coast on Tuesday (Oct 6) night, with tremors felt in Lahad Datu, Semporna and Tawau.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) said the quake occurred at 9.11pm in waters off Sandakan, with its epicentre located 48km east of Lahad Datu.

In a statement on Tuesday (Oct 6), the department said the earthquake struck at a depth of 10km, at coordinates 4.9° north and 118.7° east.

“Tremors were felt around Sabah’s east coast. The Malaysian Meteorological Department will continue to monitor the situation,” it said.

It is learnt that Fire and Rescue Department teams in Tawau, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Sandakan are being deployed to monitor the situation following the earthquake.

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Social media users in Tawau and Lahad Datu also reported feeling the tremors, sharing their experiences in comments on local Facebook pages.

One user said the shaking was felt on Sebatik Island in Tawau, while another reported feeling tremors while lying down at a hotel in Lahad Datu.

A user in Kampung Nala, Tungku, claimed the shaking was strong and lasted about 10 seconds.

Other users described feeling their surroundings sway, with one saying she initially thought she was feeling dizzy before realising an earthquake had occurred.

Similar tremors have been felt in Sabah on several previous occasions.

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On Nov 5 last year, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck the Borneo region at 6.37pm, with mild tremors reportedly felt in Tawau.

On June 8 this year, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Mindanao in the Philippines at 7.37am, with tremors felt in Tawau, Semporna and surrounding areas.

No damage was reported in Sabah following either incident.