Sabah earthquake 2015: Latest updates, photos, videos

Magnitude 5.9 earthquake rattled Ranau, Sabah, Malaysia on June 5, 2015 at 07:15 am local time. According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department, the quake's epicenter was located 16 km northwest of Ranau, Sabah. It was 33.5 miles deep. Below are latest updates on the Sabah earthquake 2015.

June 8, 2015; Update 10:30 UTC


The Meteorological Department had recorded 54 aftershocks in first three days of the Sabah earthquake
. At least 30 aftershocks were recorded on Friday, 13 on Saturday and 11 on Sunday, Bernama quoted, Abd Malik Tussin, Director of Sabah Meteorological Department as saying.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is scheduled to visit the quake-hit areas of Sabah tomorrow.

Earthquake has damaged a hospital, four health clinics, eight rural clinics and a mother and child clinic.

Update 01:05 UTC


The death toll has been revised to 18. Below is the full list of earthquake victims as mentioned by The Star Online.

Malaysia

Lim Choon Seong, 45 (male)
Muhammad Logman Abd Karim, 22 (male)
Valerian Joannes, Mt Torq staff (male)
Ricky Masarin, Mt Torq staff (male)
Joseph Solugin, mountain guide (male)
Robbie Sapinggi, 30, mountain trainer (male, body recovered on Friday)

Singapore

Rachel Ho Yann Shilin, 12, (female)
Sonia Jhala, 12, (female)
Emilie Giovanna Ramu, 12, (female)
Ameer Ryyan bin Mohd Aded, 12, (male)
Navdeep Singh Jayral s/o Raj Kumar, 13 (male)
Mohammad Ghazi b Mohamed, 35, (male)
Loo Jian Liang Terrence, 29 (male)
Muhammad Daanish b Amran, 22 (male)
Wee Ying Ping Peony, 12 (female, body recovered Friday)

Philippines

Karyl Mitzi Higuit Matahom, 12, (female)

Japan

Ozaki Masahiro, 29 (male)

China

Lugi, 35 (male)

According to The Star Online, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun based on Kadazandusun's belief said that the act of posing nude on Mount Kinabalu is totally unacceptable to be done on the sacred mountain. Two Canadian siblings are among a group of tourists who have been barred from leaving Malaysia, The Weather Network has mentioned.  They were part of a group of ten climbers who stripped down naked to take photographs from the scenic spot on the mountain that day.



At least 20 more new seismic stations including seven in Sabah would be set up throughout the country by year end, Malaysian National News Agency, Bernama quoted Malaysian Meteorological Department director-general Datuk Che Gayah Ismailas saying. There are forty four seismic stations to detect earthquake tremors nationwide including eight in Sabah.

Update June 7, 2015; 09:40 UTC

The Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore announced Sunday that bodies recovered by the Malaysian authorities have been identified by their next-of-kin as five students, and one teacher from Tanjong Katong Primary School. 

The fatalities from Tanjong Katong Primary School have been identified as:
  • Ameer Ryyan bin Mohd Adeed Sanjay
  • Emilie Giovanna Ramu
  • Loo Jian Liang Terrence Sebastian (Teacher)
  • Matahom Karyl Mitzi Higuit
  • Rachel Ho Yann Shiuan
  • Sonia Jhala
A Singaporean adventure guide, Muhammad Daanish bin Amran, who accompanied the students, has also been identified.

Operations are continuing to locate the remaining one student Navdeep Singh Jaryal S/O Raj Kumar, and one teacher Mohammad Ghazi Bin Mohamed.

Earlier on Saturday, the body of a student Wee Ying Ping Peony, was identified. In total, eight bodies of Singaporeans had been identified by their next-of-kin.

At least 19 people have died on Mount Kinabalu following a magnitude 5.9 earthquake in Sabah region of Malaysia. Fatalities are from Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan and China.

The Sabah earthquake 2015 has been considered as the strongest to affect Malaysia since 1976. According to The Malaysian Insider, current earthquake broken the strongest earthquake record set in 1976, when an earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale hit Lahad Datu. 

Update

Several climbers are reported to be stranded at Mount Kinabalu. State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun confirmed The Malaysia Insider that rescue operations were being launched for climbers stuck on the 4,095m-high mountain.

Thirty mountain guides are on standby to carry out rescue mission for climbers who might be stranded on Mount Kinabalu following an earthquake which hit Sabah today, Malaysian National News Agency, Bernama reported. At least 138 climbers are believed to be stranded on the mountain following the quake.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman has advised the public to remain alert and cautious following the earthquake in Ranau. The Meteorological Department has also advised the people of Ranau and its vicinity in Sabah to be on the alert for a possible aftershocks over the next 24 hours.

According to Malaysian Meteorological Department, several weak aftershocks have been recorded after the magnitude 5.9 earthquake. However, no further damages have been reported from the aftershocks.
Dimaklumkan terdapat beberapa gegaran susulan yang lemah berlaku selepas gempa bumi magnitud 5.9 yang berlaku pada jam 7.15 pagi tadi. Walau bagaimana pun dilaporkan beberapa gegaran susulan yang lemah tersebut tidak mendatangkan kerosakan.
Main post

Magnitude 5.9 earthquake rattled Ranau, Sabah today at 07:15 am local time, Malaysia Meteorological Department reported.

According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department, the quake's epicenter was located 16 km northwest of Ranau, Sabah. It was 33.5 miles deep.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) put the Richter scale at 6 with epicenter located 12 km WNW of Ranau. According to USGS, a strong shaking of MMI VI will have been felt by the people of Ranau. People of Kota Belud, Papar, Donggongon, Kota Kinabalu and Putatan will have been felt light shaking of MMI IV. Similarly, weak shaking of MMI III will have been felt by the people of Victoria, Sandakan, Bandar Seri Begawan, Tawau and Miri. No tsunami warning has been issued.

The tremor was felt in most places in Sabah, including Ranau,  Tambunan, Pedalaman, Tuaran, Kota Kinabalu and Kota Belud, Sabah

Malaysian Meteorological Department has also informed the public not to listen to rumors spread in social networking site that aftershocks have been recorded in the area. "No aftershocks have been detected in the state after the earthquake of 5.9 on the Richter scale in Ranau at 7.15 am," Met Office has mentioned in its Facebook page an hour later.
Dimaklumkan sehingga pada jam 9.45 pagi, 5 Jun 2015, tiada gempa susulan yang dikesan berlaku di negeri Sabah selepas gempa bumi yang berskala Richter 5.9 di Ranau pada jam 7.15 pagi, 5 jun 2015. Orang ramai diminta tidak mendengar khabar angin yang tersebar di laman-laman sosial yang kononnya ada gempa sesulan tersebut.
"Local people at the foothill Mount Kinabalu are reporting rock and landslips in the area," The Star Online has written. Sabah Park officials said they have no reports of any casualties but have directed everyone to climb down from the 4,095m mountain peak as a safety precaution.

According to Xinhua, the earthquake lasted around 30 seconds, breaking windows in several shops and a water tank pipeline in Ranau. 

The Sabah area has been frequently hit by earthquakes. In February 2014, magnitude 4.7 earthquake was recorded with epicenter 23 km NNW of Ranau. Three years ago, the Meteorological Department had detected eight earthquakes in the eastern part of the country, in Sabah and Sarawak (less than 4.5 on Richter scale).

23:15 UTC ( local time: 07:15; 2015-06-05 @ epicenter)

ranau earthquake malaysia epicenter map

Epicenter Location
12 km (7mi) WNW of Ranau, Malaysia
40 km (25mi) SSE of Kota Belud, Malaysia
52 km (32mi) ENE of Donggongon, Malaysia
54 km (34mi) E of Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
214 km (133mi) NE of Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

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