KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) is continuously monitoring earthquake activity in Sabah through its 28 seismic stations nationwide.
This round-the-clock surveillance follows a 3.3-magnitude quake in Kuamut, Kinabatangan, at 5.32am on Saturday.
MetMalaysia director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said nearby monitoring stations include Sapulut (57.23km from the epicentre), Keningau (66.51km), Sandakan/Telupid (74.36km), Matupang (76.67km) and Tenom (93.32km).
He added that MetMalaysia can rapidly detect and analyse seismic activity, with updates published within six minutes of data availability.
Mohd Hisham said seismic stations detect and determine the scale of a quake after it happens, while tsunami threats are assessed based on the magnitude of an earthquake and relevant observational data.
He said if there are any tsunami threats, MetMalaysia will send out information or warnings.
“Installation of additional stations or seismic sensors at a location can strengthen the coverage and monitoring of local observations, but it does not mean that quakes can be predicted,” he added.
Mohd Hisham said MetMalaysia will continue to monitor seismic activities in Sabah and provide quick, accurate and credible information, urging the public to get information only through the official MetMalaysia channels.
