KOTA KINABALU, June 5 — The magnitude 6.0 earthquake which hit Sabah’s west coast here this morning has left an unknown number of climbers stranded on Mount Kinabalu, close to the epicentre of the quake.

Sabah Parks direct Dr Jamili Nais said they have already launched rescue operations, though there is no confirmation as to how many people are still on the mountain.

“Climbing today has been cancelled. We are exceptionally busy coordinating rescue efforts for now. We will update the situation,” he told Malay Mail Online over WhatsApp.

A photo sent from the peak of Mount Kinabalu showing climbers waiting to be rescued after they were stranded due to this morning's earthquake.

It was also reported that one of the mountain’s peaks, Donkey’s Ear collapsed from the effects of the quake, leaving the mountain summit in a shroud of smoke but Jamili declined to verify.

Climbers up Mount Kinabalu usually leave the summit after watching the sunrise at about 6am. It was not known how many climbers are left stranded after the quake at around 7.15am

According to reports, the earthquake’s epicentre was located 14km north of the Ranau, about a two-hour drive over mountain roads from Kota Kinabalu.

Tremors were felt around the west coast and interiors of Sabah but Mount Kinabalu and Ranau is apparently worst-hit, where it was reported several landslides have occurred.

State Meteorological Department director Abdul Malek Tussin said the earthquake depth was reported at 54km with tremors felt around Ranau, Tambunan, Tuaran, Kota Belud and the interiors.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, who is Karanaan state assemblyman, said he was heading towards his constituency to assess damage.

The tremors this morning left locals in a panicked state, with many fleeing from office and residential high-rise buildings.

There are also unconfirmed reports of buildings cracking due to the tremors, aside from landslides, in Ranau.

Newswire AFP quoted US geologists confirming the earthquake, but there were no initial reports of damage warning was issued.

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres, with its epicentre located 19 kilometres from the town of Ranau and 54 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu in the district of Sabah.

Malaysia does experience earthquakes but is outside the Ring of Fire, a belt of seismic activity running around the basin of the Pacific Ocean that includes neighbours Indonesia and the Philippines.