TAWAU: Many people here did not feel the 4.0 Richter scale earthquake that occurred yesterday at 9.15am.
Robert James, 51, said he did not feel the tremor but saw his laptop screen shaking while he was on the internet.
“I did not realize it was an earthquake until a friend called and told me there was an earthquake. My friend too did not feel it but saw the statement in the meteorology website,” he said yesterday.
Most people when asked said they were unaware that there was any quake at all. A ex-lecturer staying at Ranggu also said she hardly felt anything.
In LAHAD DATU, the tremors from the earthquake were felt by some people in the district yesterday morning.
District Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) officer, Abu Bakar Taraji when contacted said they had received an alert about the weak tremors by their headquarters at 9.15am.
Abu Bakar said as of 4pm they had not received any report or alert about the tremor from the public, however, his department was always ready to face any situation.
Meanwhile, a check conducted at the Lahad Datu town saw the people conducting their daily business as usual without any sign of fear or panic over the incident.
Cik Nong, who was in town during the incident said she felt the tremor and immediately informed her colleague.
“However, the others said that they were unaware of the tremor and conducted their activities as usual,” Cik Nong added.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department official website statement said a weak earthquake had occurred with a magnitude of 4.0 on the Richter scale in Kunak at 9:15am on September 5. The earthquake epicenter is located at 4.6 degrees North and 118.3 degrees East about 11km South of Kunak, Sabah. Tremors would have been felt in areas of Kunak, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Tawau.