The ministry said the effects of earthquakes that occur in Sumatra, Indonesia, and the movement of tectonic plates of the Indian-Australian plate can result in the activation of ancient faults in Peninsular Malaysia and cause earthquakes.

“The magnitude of earthquakes can reach up to 6 (on the Richter scale) depending on the size of the ancient fault lines that are activated,” it said in a statement today.

According to the NRECC, strong tremors centred in Malaysia at magnitude 6 to 6.3 had hit Sabah in 1923, 1958, 1976 and 2015.

The strongest earthquake in Sarawak, measuring 5.3 in magnitude, occurred in 1994.

In the peninsula, there were also several earthquake tremors with a local epicentre in Bukit Tinggi, Pahang; Kenyir Dam, Terengganu; Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, Manjung and Temenggor in Perak, with a magnitude range of between 1.6 and 4.6 in 1984, 1985, 1987, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2013.