Strong earthquake strikes Sabah

Items strewn on the floor at a shop after tremors shook Sabah.

KOTA KINABALU: Tremors shook Kota Kinabalu and other parts of Sabah’s west coast on Friday after a magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit near Ranau district.  

Initial reports from the Malaysian Meteorological Services Department said the quake struck 16km northwest of Ranau at 7.15am.

The US Geological Survey put the Richter scale at 6. No tsunami warning was issued.

Courtesy of Malaysian Meteorological Department

It said that the strong quake struck at a depth of 10km, with its epicentre located 19km from the town of Ranau, and 54km from Kota Kinabalu.  

Apart from the state capital, the tremors were felt in the northern Kudat and Kota Marudu districts, and as far away Beaufort in the south. 

The tremors shook buildings and rattled windows prompting people to run out from their houses, shops, and even at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport terminal. 

The extent of damage cannot be immediately ascertained.