Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia 16 Aug 09;
SINGAPORE: Tremors were felt in Singapore on Sunday afternoon at 3.40pm.
Just two minutes after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Indonesia, Singapore's Metrological services said the epicentre was in the waters of southern Sumatra, some 620 kilometres away from Singapore.
Residents in Marine Parade, East Coast, Beach Road, Punggol and Ang Mo Kio told the MediaCorp News Hotline, the tremors lasted for two minutes.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said 26 buildings felt the effects of the tremors.
Some six HDB buildings, four private residential buildings and six commercial buildings were affected.
Engineers have certified none of the buildings have suffered structural damage.
In the last few years, Singapore had experienced tremors following earthquakes in Indonesia.
And for one resident in Marine Parade, the tremors this time round were not as strong as those in previous years.
Gregory Yeo, resident in Marine Parade, said: "My first instinct was that it was a tremor. I woke up and I saw my chandeliers rocking and immediately I confirmed that it was a tremor.
“This time, the intensity was not as strong as the previous ones. But the length of the tremor was more sustained between two and a half to three minutes. I asked my neighbours, whether they felt it and they said ‘yes’. But they didn't see a need to evacuate compared to previous times." - CNA/vm
Tremors felt in KL and Penang
The Star 17 Aug 09;
KUALA LUMPUR: Residents staying in high-rise buildings in some areas here felt tremors as a strong underwater earthquake reportedly struck western Indonesia.
Residents in Bandar Tun Razak here reportedly felt tremors yesterday afternoon.
Tremors were also felt in the southern part of Penang such as Telok Kumbar and Gertak Sanggul.
The Meteorological Department noted that a moderate earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale was felt in southern Sumatra.
“We have received a few calls from the police and people in Penang about the tremors, but there is no danger,” a spokesman said.
There was no tsunami threat.
The earthquake occurred at 3.38m with its epicentre located 58km south-east of Siberut, Indonesia and 520 south-west of Malacca.
Quake hits Sumatra, tremors felt in Malaysia
New Straits Times 17 Aug 09;
KUALA LUMPUR: A strong earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale occurred at 56km southeast of Siberut, southern Sumatra in Indonesia at 3.38pm yesterday, and the effect was felt in the waters off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
However, there was no possibility of a tsunami occurring in Malaysia, according to a press statement released by the Meteorological Department here.
The earthquake was centred at latitude 1.6 degrees south and longitude 99.4 degrees east, and about 541km southeast of Malacca, it said.
A spokesman for the Jalan Hang Tuah Fire and Rescue station here said it received reports from members of the public who felt tremors in the city since 4pm.
Among the calls received were from the Wangsa Maju, Desa Petaling and Bandar Tun Razak areas, he said.
A tenant of Mentari Condominium at Bandar Tun Razak, Mashitah Omar, 40, who lives on the 13th floor, said at the time of the incident, she was relaxing with her family and she felt dizzy. She then saw the ceiling fan and lights in her lounge swaying.
Mashitah said the tremor was felt for about two minutes, and she then gathered at the open space together with the other tenants when instructed by the Fire and Rescue Department.
Meanwhile in Johor Baru, the tremor was also felt by occupants of several tall buildings in the city, including the 33-storey Menara Landmark at Jalan Ngee Heng, Hotel Selesa at Jalan Datuk Abdullah Tahir and Wisma Tenaga Nasional Berhad at Jalan Yahya Awal. -- Bernama
