Meteorological department (MetMalaysia) director-general Hisham Anip said that based on the department’s records, the previous strongest earthquake in Malaysia occurred on June 5, 2015, in Ranau, Sabah.

The 6.0-magnitude quake claimed 18 lives and is still regarded as one of the most notable earthquakes in Malaysia’s history.

Commenting on this morning’s quake, Hisham said it occurred off Sabah’s coast as the state lies near the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone formed by the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates.

“We are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to do so. No aftershocks have been recorded so far,” he told Bernama.

“Because the earthquake’s epicentre was deep beneath the Earth’s surface, at a depth of 678km, only mild tremors were felt by the public.”

MetMalaysia reported this morning that a powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake had struck off the coast of Sabah at 12.57am, but posed no tsunami threat.

The epicentre was located approximately 49km west of Kudat, Sabah, and tremors were felt across parts of Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia.