Ketsa: Malaysia Isn’t Completely Free From Earthquakes, Good To Be Prepared

The earthquakes in Sumatra, Indonesia, and the movement of tectonic plates can activate ancient fault lines in Peninsular Malaysia.

For illustration purposes

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There’s a wide perception that Malaysia is free from earthquakes because it’s situated outside the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Despite this, there have been mild earthquakes at Mount Kinabalu in Sabah and in some areas in Sarawak over the years.

The Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry (Ketsa) said Malaysia might not be completely free from the risk of earthquakes after all.

In a statement, the ministry said the effects of earthquakes that occur in Sumatra, Indonesia, and the movement of tectonic plates of the Indian-Australian plate can trigger the activation of ancient faults in Peninsular Malaysia and cause earthquakes.

Ketsa said the magnitude of earthquakes can reach up to 6 on the Richter scale depending on the size of the ancient fault lines that are activated.

The Pacific Ring of Fire. Image: Public Domain/Wiki

Ketsa said this was shown when more than 20 earthquakes have been reported in Sarawak since 1970 and more than 65 earthquakes reported in Sabah since 1900.

According to Free Malaysia Today, the strong tremors previously registered in Sabah were at a magnitude 6 to 6.3 in 1923, 1958, 1976, and 2015.

Over in Sarawak, the strongest earthquake measured 5.3 in magnitude in 1994.

In the peninsula, there were several earthquake tremors with a local epicentre in Bukit Tinggi (Pahang), Kenyir Dam (Terengganu), Kuala Pilah (Negeri Sembilan), Manjung (Perak), and Temenggor (Perak), with a magnitude range between 1.6 and 4.6 in 1984, 1985, 1987, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2013.

Ketsa said this information is not to cause panic but as a reminder for the public to be prepared for the future.

What to do in an earthquake?

MetMalaysia has suggested some steps to take in an event of an earthquake and it involves three phases: Before, During, and After.

Before the earthquake happens, everyone is advised to ready an emergency bag with important documents inside and make sure that it’s easy to reach the bag in an emergency situation.

Drop, Cover, Hold On: Bow down, shield the neck with your arms, and take cover under a sturdy table. Image: TRP File

During the earthquake, it’s advisable to bow down, take cover, or evacuate to safety. According to CDC, people should protect their heads and neck with their arms, a pillow or a large book to prevent injuries from falling objects.

It’s also safer to hide under sturdy structures such as a table and stay away from outer walls, windows, and hanging objects.

Once the earthquake ends, people should immediately seek medical assistance or go for a check-up before carrying out repair work.

Members of the public are also advised to follow and check MetMalaysia’s website or social media pages [Facebook, Twitter, Instagram] for updates from time to time.

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