TAWAU: A 6.2-magnitude earthquake in Kalimantan, Indonesia sent tremors to the east coast towns of Tawau, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Kunak early yesterday morning, jostling the people from their slumber.
Fire and Rescue Department personnel were despatched to check on buildings in Tawau town areas after receiving seven emergency calls from the public.
The epicentre of the quake was 33km north of Tarakan, Kalimantan, and 96km southwest of Tawau. Mohd Razali said residents of the Sri Apas People’s Housing Scheme in Batu 8, Jalan Apas, reported a crack but inspection found it was just the cement plaster peeling off.
However, the residents there were told to inform their building maintenance company for further inspections.
“Strong tremors were also felt at the firemen’s quarters. We sounded the siren and advised all residents to vacate their units,” said Mohd Razali.
A housewife who declined to be identified, said she was just falling asleep when the tremors struck.
“We felt like being in a boat lashed by the waves. Things in the bedroom, such as the cupboard and clothes hung up, began to shake,” she said.
A Sabah Islamic Affairs Department officer in Semporna, Nurdin Ajirul, said he was rudely awakened from sleep by the shaking of his house.
“I thought one of my children had knocked onto the bedroom door. I was shocked to hear the rattling of the cups and saucers in the cupboard. My children became afraid,” he said. Mukhtar Alwi, who was visiting his family members in Sungai Pancang (Pulau Sebatik), Indonesia, said the people in the village also felt the tremors.
“We felt like being in a boat hit by waves. However, none of our houses were damaged,” he said.
A random check by The Borneo Post found that many hotel guests in Fajar had run out from their rooms and gathered on the road after feeling the tremors.
The residents in Fajar and Taman Ria also left their houses and some of their car alarms went off during the earthquake.
A check at the supermarkets showed that products had fallen off from the shelves and bottles in a bar were damaged by the tremors.
The residents of Lahad Datu were also jolted from their sleep by the tremors.
Mohd Ridzal Abdullah said he was in the toilet of a restaurant when he felt the movement and he saw the mirror in the toilet was shaking.
“After coming out from the toilet, I asked my friend who was watching football with me what had happened and he told me that our glasses also shook,” he said.
Mohd Roziman Malong Abdullah only realized it was a tremor triggered by the earthquake after checking on his social site. He said that he noticed there was movement in his surrounding but thought that his eyes were playing a trick on him.
Nordiana Paisal said her husband first felt the first tremor and he later woke her up. Shortly after she felt the second tremor.
“I did not believe it, but later I knew it’s a tremor following an earthquake as I saw my dressing table and cupboard shaking,” she added.
District Fire and Rescue Department chief Mohd Apandi Mahmood said they had not received an alert about the tremor.
“We have not received any report from the public but our department will always be ready to face any situation,” he said.
(Source: Borneo Post Online – 22 Dec 2015)