He advised residents in nearby areas to remain alert to instructions from the authorities, stay calm and not panic. "Obtain verified information from the Disaster Portal or the official social media channels of the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), National Disaster Management Agency and other relevant agencies. MetMalaysia, in a statement Monday morning, said a strong earthquake measuring magnitude 6.8 struck off the coast of Sabah at 12.57 am, but it posed no tsunami threat. The epicentre was located 49 km west of Kudat, Sabah, and the tremors were felt in Sabah as well as in several areas in Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia. Ahmad Zahid said MetMalaysia will continue to monitor the situation.

Source: The Star February 23, 2026 04:10 UTC