KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — The National Security Council (NSC) has promised to discuss improving Malaysia’s earthquake early warning system with the Meteorology Department following an earthquake in Sabah Friday that has killed 18 so far.
NSC secretary Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab was reported today by Utusan Malaysia saying the country currently has 17 and 28 detectors that can track weak and strong earth movements respectively.
“However, the tracking system can only detect a quake a few seconds after the disaster strikes,” Thajudeen was quoted saying.
He also stressed that there is no equipment that can predict earthquakes, unlike tsunamis where early warnings can be issued.
“A tsunami is a quake that happens in the middle of the sea, so we have time to issue early warnings, not like an earthquake that happens instantly,” he added.
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck Ranau, Sabah, last Friday, killing mountain climbers and guides on Mount Kinabalu, including six Singaporean children.
The Malay Mail reported today Meteorological Department director-general Datuk Che Gayah Ismail as saying that Sabah faces a high risk of earthquakes as it has six active hot spots, noting that the east Malaysian state experienced 12 minor earthquakes from 1966 to 2014.
The June 5 earthquake was the strongest in Malaysia since the 5.3 magnitude quake in 1966, she said.
