KUALA LUMPUR: A weak earthquake measuring magnitude 3.3 was detected in the Kuamut area of Kinabatangan, Sabah, at 5.32am on Saturday (Sept 26).

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) said the earthquake was centred at 5.1 degrees north and 116.8 degrees east, at a depth of 118km.

Its epicentre was about 34km southwest of Tongod, Sabah.

MetMalaysia said the earthquake posed no tsunami threat to Malaysia.

Sabah experiences relatively frequent low-magnitude earthquakes due to its proximity to active seismic zones in the region. Most tremors are minor and do not cause serious damage.

Separately, a stronger earthquake measuring 6.4 magnitude struck the Loyalty Islands near Australia earlier at 5.23am.

MetMalaysia said the quake was centred at 21.2 degrees south and 168.7 degrees east, at a depth of 47km, about 988km southwest of Nadi, Fiji, with no tsunami threat to Malaysia