Strong 7.3-magnitude earthquake hits Sabah, no tsunami threat

A 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck most areas in Sabah on Wednesday but there was no fear of a tsunami, the Malaysia Meteorological Department said.

According to a statement by the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department, the quake did not pose any tsunami threat and had dispatched their personnel to scour the buildings around Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Tawau and Lahad Datu.

The Met Department in a statement said, the quake sits in the centre of Celebes Sea, located around approximately 466km northeast of Semporna, Sabah.

The tremor was felt for five seconds sending panicked residents fleeing into open areas for their safety.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, said Sabah Fire and Rescue Department adding that no abnormalities were detected especially at Sabah iconic landmarks.