Why small quakes in Malaysia’s Sabah could be sounding seismic alarms

A series of small earthquakes beneath Keningau, an inland district of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo, is drawing attention to a part of the state where scientists say the faults are poorly understood and the consequences of a larger quake could be devastating.

The latest, a magnitude-3.4 tremor on September 3, was felt in several parts of Keningau, prompting staff at the district office to suspend a meeting and move to a designated safe area. No serious damage was reported.

The tremor was one of several weak earthquakes recorded around Keningau since 2023, raising questions about efforts to strengthen monitoring, development and disaster planning in the area.

A stronger earthquake in the region could trigger landslides and debris flows, cutting off roads and other vital infrastructure, experts say.