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Kota Kinabalu: A powerful earthquake struck Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Thursday morning sending tremors that were felt as far as Sabah and Labuan.

The 10.13am earthquake, measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale, had its epicentre located 154 km southeast of Isabela City at coordinates 6.1° North and 123.3° East, with a depth of 632 km.

Malaysian authorities quickly assured the public that there was no tsunami threat to the country. The Malaysian Meteorological Department promptly issued updates through their official channels and earthquake monitoring website.

In response to the tremors, the Fire and Rescue Department mobilised teams to conduct building evacuations and safety checks across several districts in Sabah, including Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Tawau, Sandakan, Ranau and Kota Belud.

In Kota Kinabalu, three fire engines with crew were dispatched to key locations such as the Kota Kinabalu City Hall building, Wisma Wanita and Menara Kinabalu. Reports indicated that staff and members of the public had already evacuated these buildings and gathered at designated assembly points by the time firefighters arrived at 10.40am.

Similarly, the Fire and Rescue Station received a call from Wisma Persekutuan in Tawau at 10.45am, prompting the deployment of firefighters to conduct safety assessments. 

Authorities continued to monitor the situation and urged the public to remain calm and follow safety guidelines in the event of aftershocks.