Lahad Datu bracing for bigger earthquake

KOTA KINABALU: A geologist has advised residents around Lahad Datu to be on the alert to face any possibility of a bigger earthquake occurring.

Prof Dr Felix Tongkul, from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), said this following the three weak earthquakes that occurred in Darvel Bay, near Lahad Datu, on February 16, February 23 and this morning.

“This incident may lead to two possibilities – one is the release of seismic energy stored on a small scale in the area and, if this continues, it can prevent the release of greater energy in the future.

“The second possibility is that it is a marker for a bigger earthquake. The small tremors are referred to as a preliminary earthquake (foreshock).“This means the preliminary earthquake can happen a few days or several weeks before a major earthquake occurs.

“Whatever the possibility, residents around Lahad Datu are advised to be vigilant,” he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Meteorological Department, in a statement, said it shared the same views with Felix.

“We need to be alert to the second possibility raised by Felix… where a stronger earthquake of up to 6.0 on the Richter scale can occur, as we had highlighted before, after the earthquake in Ranau (last June).”

On February 16, a weak earthquake measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale, hit the coast off Lahad Datu, while a quake measuring 3.5 occurred on Tuesday and this morning in Lahad Datu.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/03/04/lahad-datu-bracing-for-bigger-earthquake/