Minor tremor may have halted big quake

KOTA KINABALU: A minor tremor in Lahad Datu two days ago may have helped avert a widely anticipated major earthquake in the east coast district, a Universiti Malaysia Sabah geologist said.

Dr Felix Tongkul said the 3.3 magnitude tremor that hit off the coast of Lahad Datu at 10.36am on Feb 16 would have helped to release the “stress” that had been building up in the active fault lines there.