Sign of looming big quake

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KOTA KINABALU: Small earthquakes are occurring almost every month in Ranau and Lahad Datu.

This is based on data obtained from the Malaysia Meteorological Department since last year, said Professor Dr Felix Tongkul, a Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) geology lecturer yesterday.

Yesterday an earthquake measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale about 25 kilometres north-east of Kunak that occurred at 6.26am and on March 26, a mild earthquake measuring 3.2 on the Richter scale struck Ranau.

When asked what this could mean, Felix said that there were two possibilities, good and not so good.

The positive possibility was that the frequent occurrence of small earthquakes releases accumulated seismic energy so reducing the chance of bigger earthquake, he said.

But the frequent presence of small earthquakes could also signal the possibility of a looming larger earthquake, he warned.

“We just need to be prepared,” he advised.

Felix added that the last “big one” that occurred in Lahad Datu happened in 1976, resulting in a few buildings at the town being damaged.

“It was a 6.2 on the Richter scale,” he said on the scale of the quake then.

When asked on the expected scale of the looming “big one” that’s about to hit Lahad Datu again, he said that he expected it would probably be around 6 on the Richter scale.

He added that the buildings in Lahad Datu were not ready for such an onslaught.

Asked if it would be a disaster if the quake struck Lahad Datu, Felix said yes.

Meanwhile, the last “big one” to strike Sabah occurred 16 kilometres northwest of Ranau on June 5, 2015 registering 6.0 on the Richter scale.

A total of 18 people which comprised 10 Singaporean students and teachers from Tanjung Katong Primary School as well as mountain guides perished during the quake. They were on Mount Kinabalu.

The quake also left 137 climbers stranded on the mountain but they were later rescued by experienced mountain guides and members of the search and rescue team.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department said in a statement yesterday that the epicentre of yesterday’s quake was 25 kilometres north-east of Kunak, Sabah.

“The tremor could have been felt in the Lahad Datu area and the Meteorological Department was monitoring the development,” it said.