Nur Nadia
Thiery
KUNDASANG: “We were sound asleep when a guard woke us up and told us there is an earthquake and to leave immediately,” said Nur Nadia Fariha Madon.
Sharing her experience of the earthquake at Mount Kinabalu on Thursday, the 24-year-old from Kangar, Perlis said the guard told them to pack their items and to proceed to an evacuation centre at Laban Rata around 10pm.
Another climber from Johor, Ahmad Ilmi Jasman, 45, claimed that he was feeling uneasy while looking at Mt Kinabalu from Laban Rata.
“Just after dinner, I was looking at the top of the mountain and saw one of the broken Donkey Ears and loose rocks that were left behind in the previous earthquake.
“Everybody went to bed early because we have to climb to the submit early morning but I could not sleep and kept waking up every few minutes,” he said, adding that he was totally awake when the earthquake happened.
For French tourist, Thiery Brethes, 44, his wish to climb Mount Kinabalu with his family had to be postponed following the 5.2 magnitude earthquake at 16km South West of Ranau at 9.06pm on March 8.
“I am a bit disappointed because we had planned to climb one of the tallest mountains in South East Asia.
“But I am grateful that nothing happens to any of my family members,” he said yesterday.
Some 239 climbers were stranded at the top of Mount Kinabalu. However, they managed to arrive safely at Timpohon from Laban Rata.
The six-second earthquake could also be felt in Kota Kinabalu, Kolombong, Lintas, Penampang as well as some part in Papar.
This is the second earthquake to have hit Sabah after the deadly 5.9 magnitude earthquake that took the life of 18 people, including four mountain climbers, at 7.15am on June 5, 2015.