3.2 magnitude earthquake strikes Johor, with tremors felt in Pahang

JOHOR: A third earthquake in four days struck Johor on Wednesday (Aug 27) morning with tremors felt across the state and in the south of Pahang.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) said the 3.2 magnitude earthquake occurred at about 8.59am, 18km south of Segamat town at a depth of 10km. 

It occurred along the Mersing Fault Zone and is an aftershock to Sunday’s earthquakes, Met Malaysia said, referring to the 4.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Segamat at 6.13am on Aug 24, which was followed by another at 9am of 2.8 magnitude in Kluang. 

The Mersing Fault Zone is one of the major fault belts in the peninsula along with others like Bukit Tinggi, Kuala Lumpur, Lebir, Bok Bak, Bentong, and Lepar. 

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“MetMalaysia will continue to monitor the situation,” it said in a statement on Facebook.

“The public need not be alarmed as the earthquake was of a minor magnitude,” said director-general of the agency Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip in a statement on Wednesday.

No reports of death, injuries or property damage have been received so far, said the Segamat District Disaster Management Committee. 

Security authorities and the relevant agencies are conducting further monitoring to ensure conditions in Segamat district remain safe, particularly for the public, it said.

The first quake that struck on Sunday was felt in most areas in Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and southern Pahang, Malaysian authorities said.

It sparked panic among some Segamat residents, who described hearing a loud sound. Footage of the moment captured on closed-circuit television cameras showed vehicles shaking briefly and car alarms going off. 

The second, milder quake at 9am was felt in the same areas, with the epicenter detected to be 28km northwest of Kluang, Johor. 

No deaths or injuries have been reported so far.

According to MetMalaysia, both earthquakes’ epicentres were near the Mersing Fault Zone. 

Geological experts have told CNA the earthquakes on Sunday serve as a reminder that some faults in the Malay Peninsula are active, even if earthquakes in the area are rare. 

They suggested that authorities adopt monitoring measures to better understand seismic activities in the region and put in place warning systems to communicate timely and potentially life-saving information to the masses.