Magnitude 5.0 earthquake strikes off Sandakan, felt in Lahad Datu and Tawau

KOTA KINABALU: A moderate magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck the waters off Sandakan on Tuesday night, with tremors felt in several parts of Sabah's east coast including Lahad Datu and Tawau.

The earthquake occurred at 9.11pm on October 6 at coordinates 4.9 degrees north and 118.7 degrees east, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department.

Its epicentre was about 48 kilometres east of Lahad Datu at a depth of 10 kilometres.

No tsunami warning was issued over the event.

Monitoring patrols

Sandakan fire and rescue station chief Jimmy Lagung said his personnel carried out patrols of town areas, buildings and coastal settlements after the earthquake was reported.

"Residents should not panic, conditions are under control so far," he said.

The station had received no reports of damage or injuries following the earthquake, he said.

Tremors along the east coast

Residents in Lahad Datu and Tawau felt brief shaking. Some noticed vehicles or household objects moving before learning that an earthquake had occurred in nearby waters.

The Meteorological Department asked those who felt the tremor to submit information through its official survey to assist with field data collection.

Sabah's east coast lies close to active tectonic systems around the southern Philippines and the Celebes Sea, which means earthquakes elsewhere in the region can at times be felt in the state.

The risk posed by any individual event depends on its location, depth, magnitude and fault mechanism.

The public has been advised to rely on official updates from the Meteorological Department and disaster management agencies, and not to spread unverified claims about aftershocks or tsunamis.