The Big Shake: Why Sabah’s 7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Felt Strong but Stayed Safe
On February 22, 2026, just before 1:00 AM, many people in Sabah—and even as far away as Singapore—felt the ground sway. It was a massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake, the strongest to hit Malaysia in 11 years.
While a “7.1” sounds scary, there is a very good reason why there was no major damage. Here is the simple breakdown of what happened and why we were safe.
The Secret is in the Depth
The most important thing to know about this earthquake wasn’t how strong it was, but how deep it was.
- 2026 Earthquake: 620 km deep (about 385 miles underground).
- 2015 Ranau Earthquake: 10 km deep (only about 6 miles underground).
Think of it like a giant firework. If a firework goes off right next to you (shallow), it can cause damage. If that same firework goes off miles high in the sky (deep), you will see the light and hear the bang, but you won’t get hurt.
Because the 2026 quake was so deep in the Earth’s “mantle,” most of its destructive energy was swallowed up by the rocks before it ever reached our houses.
How It Felt Across the Region
Even though it wasn’t dangerous, the earthquake was a “long-distance traveler.” Because it started so deep, the vibrations spread out like ripples in a very large pond.
- Sabah & Sarawak: Residents felt a moderate swaying or rattling.
- Singapore & Brunei: People in high-rise buildings felt the floor move and saw hanging lamps swing.
- The Sea: There was no tsunami. For a tsunami to happen, the earthquake usually needs to be shallow enough to “push” the ocean floor. This one was way too deep to move the water.
| Feature | 2015 (Ranau) | 2026 (Recent) |
| Power (Magnitude) | 6.0 (Strong) | 7.1 (Very Strong) |
| Depth | Very Shallow (Dangerous) | Extremely Deep (Safe) |
| Damage | Heavy damage to trails & buildings | No major damage reported |
| Tsunami Risk | None | None |
Is Sabah Still Safe?
Yes. This earthquake was a natural “pressure release” deep inside the Earth. Experts from MetMalaysia say that deep earthquakes like this usually don’t have many aftershocks, and the ones that do happen are very small.
Our buildings in Sabah are now built with better standards thanks to lessons learned in 2015. This recent event shows that while the Earth is active beneath us, being “deep” makes all the difference.
Fun Fact: A 7.1 magnitude earthquake actually releases about 32 times more energy than a 6.0! We can be very thankful those 620 kilometers of rock acted as a natural shield for us.
Source: Gemini
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