Sabah earthquake: Magnitude 3.3 tremor hits Kinabatangan

A weak magnitude 3.3 earthquake struck the Kuamut area in Kinabatangan, Sabah, at 5:32 am on September 26, 2026. The tremor occurred at a depth of 118 kilometers, with its epicenter located approximately 32 kilometers southwest of Tongod and 223 kilometers northwest of Tarakan, Indonesia.

Following the tremor, the Kinabatangan Fire and Rescue Station conducted patrols in high-risk areas, including the Sabah Economic Development Corporation premises and Bukit Garam Point. Authorities reported no structural damage, building collapses, or casualties. There is no tsunami threat to Malaysia resulting from this event.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia) is maintaining 24-hour surveillance of seismic activity in Sabah using 28 monitoring stations across the state. Director-General Dr. Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip stated that while the department can analyze and disseminate earthquake information within six minutes of detection, current technology cannot predict the timing, location, or magnitude of earthquakes before they occur.

Officials emphasized that while additional sensors can improve monitoring coverage, they do not enable early prediction. The public is advised to rely solely on official MET Malaysia channels for earthquake and tsunami updates.