PENANG – A moderate 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck northern Sumatra on Sunday afternoon, with tremors felt across parts of the Malaysian island of Penang. The quake occurred at 4:57 PM local time at a depth of 74 kilometers, with the epicenter about 107 kilometers southeast of Meulaboh in Indonesia’s Aceh province. 

Although the epicenter was around 500 kilometers away from Penang, many residents, especially those in high-rise buildings, reported feeling the tremors. Some noted that furniture vibrated and light objects shifted. Malaysia’s Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) confirmed the quake was felt in several areas along the west coast of the Malaysian peninsula but emphasized there was no tsunami threat to Malaysia.

Penang’s Fire and Rescue Department director, Mohamad Shoki Hamzah, reported receiving two alerts — one from a residential block in Jelutong and another from a hotel in George Town. Teams were dispatched to inspect the buildings. No structural damage was detected, and the affected sites were declared safe.

On social media, residents shared their experiences. One user said they initially thought they were dizzy, only to notice the water in their bottle shaking. Another commented that the tremors were strong enough to be clearly felt in Penang.

MetMalaysia stated it will continue monitoring the situation and will update the public with any further developments.

This event serves as a reminder of the devastating earthquake over 20 years ago that triggered a tsunami and also affected Malaysia. At that time, at least 52 people died nationwide, many of them in Penang. However, today’s response shows that the region is now better prepared for such natural occurrences. (zai)