Magnitude 7.1 earthquake strikes off Malaysian coast

A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Malaysia, just after midnight local time on Monday, with minor shaking reported across parts of Borneo, according to seismic agencies and local media reports.

The quake occurred at 12:57 a.m. local time Monday, with the epicenter in the South China Sea northwest of Sabah’s Kudat and Kota Belud and at a great depth of roughly 385 miles, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) map shows.

There have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries and no tsunamiwarning was issued.

Why It Matters

The offshore quake’s strong magnitude and unusual depth made it widely felt but likely reduced the risk of severe damage compared with a shallow event of similar size.

Deep-focus earthquakes tend to dissipate more energy before reaching the surface, limiting shaking intensity over populated areas, according to the USGS.

The earthquake struck offshore northwest of Kudat in Sabah state, Borneo, at 12:57 a.m. local time Monday

Early readings differed modestly among networks—common in the first hour after a major quake. The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) initially listed magnitude 7.0, Indonesia’s BMKG reported magnitude 6.9, and USGS reported magnitude 7.1 at about 385 miles depth, according to a consolidated feed.

Tremors were felt on Sabah’s West Coast and in several areas of Sarawak, local media reported. Based on preliminary modeling compiled from agency data, light to moderate shaking extended hundreds of miles, with the strongest intensities remaining limited by the quake’s great depth.

USGS impact models indicated a low likelihood of severe damage or casualties—often referred to as a “green” alert—given the deep source and resulting lower surface shaking, according to a modeled summary reproduced by independent monitors.

Are Earthquakes Common in Malaysia?

Malaysia experiences fewer large earthquakes than neighboring Indonesia and the Philippines, but Sabah has recorded occasional moderate to strong events and felt shaking from regional quakes.

Historical data compiled by independent monitors indicate that quakes of magnitude 6 or greater are rare in the immediate offshore area near Sabah, with this event among the strongest recorded in at least a century in the vicinity, according to Volcano Discovery.

What Causes an Earthquake?

Earthquakes occur when stress builds along faults in the Earth’s crust or upper mantle and is released as seismic energy, typically where tectonic plates meet and move relative to each other.

Deep-focus earthquakes like this one occur within subducting slabs that descend into the mantle and can rupture at depths greater than 186 miles, which generally reduces the strength of shaking at the surface compared to shallow events of similar magnitude.

What Happens Next

The Malaysian Meteorological Department said it would continue to monitor conditions following the offshore event, and global agencies are expected to refine magnitude, depth, and epicenter estimates as more data arrive.

[Source: Newsweek - edited]