LAHAD DATU, Oct 7 — A 5.0-magnitude earthquake off Sabah last night rattled residents in Lahad Datu and Tawau, while fire and rescue personnel began precautionary patrols along the Sandakan coast.
Several residents described brief but noticeable tremors after the earthquake struck at 9.11 pm.
Nurse Nur Damia Hanafi, 34, from Lahad Datu, said she felt the shaking while on her way home.
“I was stopped at a red light when I suddenly felt the car shaking.
“I thought someone was shaking the car from outside, but the tremor lasted only briefly. I continued my journey home and only later found out that an earthquake had occurred,” she told Bernama.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) said the earthquake was detected at coordinates 4.9 degrees North and 118.7 degrees East, at a depth of 10 kilometres.
The epicentre was about 48 kilometres east of Lahad Datu.
In Sandakan, the Fire and Rescue Station began patrols along the coast following the earthquake.
Its chief, Jimmy Lagung, said the station had not received any emergency calls or reports of earthquake-related damage so far.
“The patrols are being carried out as a precautionary measure, covering Sandakan’s coastal areas.
“Residents are advised not to panic as the situation remains under control. If they notice anything suspicious, they should contact the authorities immediately for further assistance,” he told reporters tonight.
Meanwhile, public servant Norusidah Ruslan, 45, also from Lahad Datu, said she noticed the tremor while working on diamond embroidery and saw embroidered clothes hanging nearby sway.
“I thought I was feeling dizzy, but when I saw the clothes moving, I realised the shaking was getting stronger.
“This was my first experience of an earthquake. I panicked and called my husband, who was at a friend’s house, to check on his safety and ask whether the tremor had been felt elsewhere,” she said.
Housewife Nur Medina Abdullah, 40, said she was cleaning the kitchen when she felt the shaking for several seconds.
“At first, I thought I was dizzy. I even wondered if there was something supernatural because I was alone in the kitchen. It turned out to be the tremor,” said the Lahad Datu resident.
The tremor was also felt in Tawau.
E-hailing driver Muhd Andri Sapar, 35, said he felt the tremor for about eight seconds while having a drink with a friend at a hotel in the town.
“The tremor felt strong but was brief. I was sitting and chatting with my friend when suddenly everything started to sway and the water in the glass was sloshing,” he said.
Housewife Siti Amilah Terence, 35, said she and her husband also experienced the tremor while leaving a mobile phone shop in Tawau.
“We felt the movement, but it did not last long. I felt unsteady and dizzy during the tremor,” she said.
