LAHAD DATU: A moderate earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter scale struck the Minahassa Peninsula in Sulawesi, Indonesia, on Tuesday (Jan 28), and its tremors were also felt in Semporna, Tawau, and Lahad Datu in Sabah.
Nur Azirah Aki, a 30-year-old nurse at Lahad Datu Hospital, said she felt the tremors at about 11pm while on duty.
"I was conducting a routine examination on a patient when I suddenly felt a tremor. Although it wasn’t too strong, I felt it," she told Bernama on Wednesday (Jan 29).
A housewife, Nur Hamida Abdul Rahman, 40, said her son had a sudden headache, which she believed was linked to the earthquake.
"Our family was unaware of the earthquake in Indonesia, but around 11pm, my son complained of a headache and dizziness," she said.
Arun Matusin, 55, a fisherman in Semporna, said he was at the jetty securing his boat on Tuesday night.
“The chairs and shelves on the jetty shook. At first, I didn’t sense anything was unusual, but when my son told me there had been an earthquake in Sulawesi, I understood what had happened,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lahad Datu Fire and Rescue Station chief Sumsoa Rashid, when contacted, said his department had not received any emergency calls regarding the tremors.
"So far, there have been no reports of damage or incidents requiring emergency assistance. However, we remain on standby should the need arise,” he said.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) reported that the earthquake struck 210km northeast of Palu, Indonesia, at a depth of 80 kilometres, with coordinates of 0.5 degrees north and 121.2 degrees east.
In its statement, MetMalaysia confirmed that there was no tsunami threat but advised the public to remain vigilant. – Bernama
