JOHOR BAHRU: A 4.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Segamat on Saturday (Aug 24) morning caused panic among residents, particularly those preparing to start their daily routines.

Nur Hafiz Mukmin, 32, said his house in Jalan Tasek Alai suddenly shook at around 6.13am while he was getting ready for work.

"I thought the house was about to collapse. I panicked and quickly got my wife and child out of the house. A neighbour then said it might have been an earthquake,” he told Bernama

He said the situation calmed down after a few seconds, but his child was still too frightened to re-enter the house.

Housewife Normala Mohamed, 66, who lives in Kampung Jabi, was performing her Subuh prayers when the glass panels in her house shook violently.

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"I rushed straight to the kitchen, worried that something had happened. Thankfully, there was no damage to the house, but the tremor was completely unexpected,” she said.

Meanwhile, nasi lemak seller Siti Rubiah Yasin, 52, said the quake disrupted her morning routine.

"At the time, my husband and I were in the kitchen when several dishes placed on the table in front of the house fell,” said the Batu Anam resident.

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While upset that some of the prepared dishes went to waste, she was thankful no one was hurt and no serious damage occurred.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) said the quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres (km), about five km west of Segamat.

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The Johor government also advised the public to stay away from unsafe structures and remain alert to instructions from the authorities following the weak earthquake.

Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi quoted Segamat district officer Mohd Ezzuddin Sanusi as confirming that no casualties or property damage were reported. - Bernama