A powerful earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck early Monday, February 23, 2026, off the coast of Sabah, on the island of Borneo in Malaysia
International and regional seismological authorities have indicated that there is no tsunami warning and no damage has been reported so far.
A deep earthquake
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at 00:57 (local time) at a significant depth of 619.8 km, with an epicenter located less than 100 km northeast of Kota Kinabalu, the coastal capital of Sabah.
At such a depth, the tremors are rarely destructive and do not normally cause tsunami waves, which has been confirmed by the US Tsunami Warning Center, which issued no warning.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia) measured the earthquake at magnitude 6.8 and assured that it would continue to “closely monitor” the situation.
Residents of Sabah and Sarawak, however, reported feeling the vibrations, with some describing tremors strong enough to shake their homes.
Social media in Singapore also relayed impressions of movement in urban areas, particularly around Pasir Ris and Marine Parade, noting that some residents felt significant fluctuations in the early morning hours.
Thailand rules out any major earthquake on its territory
Shortly after the first reports were published, online rumors of a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in Thailand began circulating on social media, causing concern and confusion among the local population.
These allegations have been firmly denied by the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD).
The TMD clarified that no major earthquakes have been recorded in the country, and that official data do not report any significant seismic activity with an epicenter on Thai soil.
The agency urged the public to rely solely on official statements from its earthquake observation division for any reliable information.
However, records indicate that a magnitude 3.7 earthquake was detected in Vietnam, some 304 km southeast of Ubon Ratchathani province, but it is not considered a concern for Thailand.
Why didn't this earthquake cause a tsunami?
The strong earthquake observed off the coast of Malaysia this morning did not trigger a tsunami warning or any expected significant damage, mainly due to its great depth, which reduces the transmission of the tremors to the surface.
Regional weather authorities continue their monitoring, and the public is urged to follow official updates rather than viral rumors.
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