General : MET Malaysia On 24-hour Quake Watch In Sabah Via 28 Seismic Stations

Kota Kinabalu, Sept 27 - The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia) is maintaining a continuous surveillance on earthquake activity in Sabah through 28 seismic stations across the state. MET Malaysia's director-general, Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip, stated that this monitoring allows for rapid detection and analysis of earthquakes.

He mentioned that the seismic stations nearest to the epicenter are Sapulut, located 57.23 kilometers away; Keningau at 66.51 kilometers; Sandakan/Telupid at 74.36 kilometers; Matupang at 76.67 kilometers; and Tenom at 93.32 kilometers. Dr Hisham explained that earthquake information is disseminated within six minutes of detection, provided data is available.

The department has not yet developed technology for earthquake prediction, including the time, location, or magnitude. The recent weak magnitude 3.3 earthquake that struck Kuamut, Kinabatangan, at 5.32 am yesterday serves as a recent example. Dr Hisham emphasized that earthquakes cannot be predicted in terms of time, location, or magnitude; seismic stations are merely designed to detect and quantify a quake's magnitude post-occurrence.

In terms of tsunami threats, MET Malaysia evaluates them based on earthquake magnitude and related monitoring data. If a potential tsunami threat is identified, the department will issue the corresponding warnings. Dr Hisham noted that adding more seismic stations or sensors at a location can enhance local monitoring coverage and capability, but it does not enable earlier earthquake prediction.

MET Malaysia will continue to monitor seismic activity in Sabah, ensuring the timely, accurate, and verified sharing of information with the public and relevant agencies. The public is advised to obtain earthquake and tsunami information solely from MET Malaysia's official channels.