SINGAPORE – A mild 2.7-magnitude earthquake hit Segamat early on the morning of Aug 30, with minor damage to five government buildings found. It was the sixth quake within a week to hit the northern Johor town.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) said in a Facebook post that the earthquake was recorded around 2km north-west of Segamat at 7.29am.

Engineers found cracks on the walls of police quarters, two community colleges and the local hospital in Segamat, while a ceiling of a district office partially collapsed, said Malaysian Deputy Public Works Minister Ahmad Maslan, adding that there was no structural damage.

The Public Works Department is monitoring the situation around the clock and conducting safety checks, he said.

The depth was measured at around 10km, with the epicentre located at 2.5 degrees north and 102.8 degrees east. Segamat is about 180km from Singapore.

MetMalaysia said tremors may be felt within the vicinity of Segamat, adding that the department will continue monitoring the situation.

The first earthquake to hit Johor on the morning of Aug 24 was the strongest this week at a magnitude of 4.1, with tremors also felt in other states including Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang.

Four more aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 2.5 to 3.4 followed, three in Segamat and one in Yong Peng, 28km from the city of Kluang on Aug 24.

Advice from authorities

Those at home and indoors when experiencing a tremor should stay away from windows, glass and heavy objects, said Malaysia’s Fire and Rescue Department director-general Nor Hisham Mohammad .

In remarks carried in Malaysian daily The Star on Aug 30, he said those outside should move away from buildings, trees and power lines, adding that those driving should also stop at a safe place and avoid bridges.

No injuries or damage have been reported from the earthquakes in Johor, according to state officials.

Agong calls for prayers

Malaysian news agency Bernama reported that Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, the King of Malaysia, ordered all mosques in Johor to hold special prayers following the tremors.

The King, who hails from Peninsular Malaysia’s southernmost state, called for the prayers to be held to seek Allah’s protection over the people, safeguarding them from misfortune and disaster.

Malaysia’s Minerals and Geoscience Department said the quakes may have stemmed from shallow crustal movement linked to the Mersing fault line.

According to The Star, Johor previously experienced a stronger 5.4 magnitude earthquake a century ago in January 1922, with minor damage reported from the tremors.

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