Strong 7.1-magnitude quake strikes off Sabah with no tsunami threat
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck off Sabah in the early hours of 23 February 2026. Authorities reported no casualties or tsunami threat, though tremors were felt across East Malaysia and parts of Singapore.
- A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck off Sabah at 12.57am on 23 February 2026.
- Authorities reported no tsunami threat and no immediate casualties or damage.
- Tremors were felt in parts of Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and areas of Singapore.
SABAH, MALAYSIA: A strong 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck early on 23 February 2026 off Malaysia’s Sabah state on Borneo island, according to the US Geological Survey.
The quake occurred at 12.57am, with its epicentre located less than 100km northeast of Kota Kinabalu at a depth of 619.8km, the agency reported.
The US Tsunami Warning Center said no tsunami alert was issued, noting that the significant depth of the quake meant tsunami activity was not expected.
The USGS assessed the likelihood of casualties or damage as low.
Malaysia’s Malaysian Meteorological Department, also known as MetMalaysia, put the magnitude at 6.8 and said it would “continue to monitor the situation closely”.
It said tremors were felt along Sabah’s west coast and in several areas of Sarawak.
According to state news agency Bernama, tremors were also reported in parts of Sabah, neighbouring Brunei, sections of Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia.
MetMalaysia stressed there was no tsunami threat to Malaysia following the earthquake, Bernama reported.
The Sabah Fire and Rescue Department’s operations centre said no untoward incidents had been reported in the immediate aftermath.
“Thus far, no emergency calls related to the earthquake have been received,” the operations centre said, as quoted by Bernama.
“All stations are carrying out patrols and monitoring in their respective areas to ensure public safety and that the environment remains safe and under control,” it added.
Despite the deep epicentre and lack of reported damage, residents in parts of Singapore said they felt tremors shortly after the quake.
Users on social media platform Reddit reported shaking in eastern districts.
One user wrote that their apartment was “shaking quite a lot” near Katong Park.
Others reported feeling tremors in Marine Parade and Siglap, with one claiming to have felt movement twice within 10 seconds.
Another Reddit user said they experienced shaking in Pasir Ris, describing a loud noise at their front door that caused alarm.
Sabah lies within a region affected by seismic activity due to complex tectonic interactions in Southeast Asia, though deep earthquakes such as this often result in reduced surface impact.
Authorities in Malaysia said monitoring would continue, but emphasised that the situation remained under control.
