No area cut off by road links due to earthquake in Sabah - JPAM

There is no report of any areas in Sabah cut off by road links as a result of the earthquake in Ranau today.

Malaysian Civil Defence Department (JPAM) director in Sabah, Colonel Mulliadi Al-Hamdi Ladin said although there were cracks on some roads, like Jalan Ranau-Kundasang, they could still be used.

"There has been no report of loss of live or injured casualty, but there are cases of people fainting and traumatised by the incident," he told Bernama today.

He said the earthquake in Ranau, measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale, caused some damage, like cracks, to buildings.

Residents in Ranau are also reported to have resumed their daily activities, he said, adding that the department was on standby for the possibility of any aftershocks.

The earthquake hit Sabah at 7.15am and caused tremors in the west coast of the state, including Tambunan, Tuaran, Kota Kinabalu and Kota Belud.

In Kota Kinabalu, JPAM ordered three buildings, namely Rumah Persekutuan Kota Kinabalu, Kompleks Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan Sabah and Wisma Dang Bandang, to be vacated soon after the tremor as felt.

The occupants were only allowed to enter the buildings at 10.30am.

Mulliadi Al-Hamdi advised the people against spreading false reports or pictures on the earthquake.

"The situation is not as bad as pictured by the social media. What they are doing is making the people to panic, which will only worsen the situation," he added.