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Tremors in Singapore after Sumatra quake ‘pose no safety risk’

SINGAPORE — A magnitude 6.4 earthquake which struck Sumatra yesterday, with no immediate reports of damage and no tsunami warning, also rattled buildings in Singapore.

Several building in Singapore were rattled after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Sumatra on Sunday. Photo: USS Geological Survey

Several building in Singapore were rattled after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Sumatra on Sunday. Photo: USS Geological Survey

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SINGAPORE — A magnitude 6.4 earthquake which struck Sumatra on Sunday (Aug 13), with no immediate reports of damage and no tsunami warning, also rattled buildings in Singapore.

The earthquake happened at 11.08am local time, with an epicentre 619 km away from the Republic.

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) in Singapore said the tremors were unlikely to have caused any safety risk or damage to buildings here.

The tremor monitoring system in Singapore — which receives an alert via text message whenever a tremor is recorded on sensors — showed “low tremor readings (yesterday), which were unlikely to have any structural safety impact on the buildings in Singapore”, said the BCA in a press release.

Such tremor sensors have been installed in more than 100 buildings in Singapore since July 2006.

While the Republic is situated outside an earthquake zone, large quakes in Sumatra may cause vibrations or tremors to be felt in buildings here, noted the BCA. But the seismic waves reaching Singapore would have been reduced to a level that is unlikely to cause damage to these buildings.

The BCA added: “Buildings in Singapore are designed with in-built strength, which makes them safe and resilient against tremors caused by distant earthquakes.”

Earlier in the day, the Sumatra quake caused panic as it could be felt in some parts of Singapore. Some in the city-state posted on social media that they felt tremors.

Ms Angelina Cheah posted on Facebook: “The building is shaking! Singapore please be safe, Sumatra is (having an) earthquake now.”

The United States Geological Survey said the quake occurred at a depth of 35km. It was centred 74km west of the coastal city of Bengkulu.

Mr Mochammad Riyadi, an official at Indonesia’s meteorology and geophysics agency, told AFP: “The earthquake was quite strong and shallow, it was felt all the way to Padang, West Sumatra, but there was no threat of a tsunami.”

Bengkulu resident Neng Hasnah said the quake felt very strong for a few seconds, forcing her and her family members to flee her house.

“I was carrying my seven-month old granddaughter and I had to run, all the neighbours also ran outside their homes,” Ms Hasnah told AFP.

Meanwhile, minor tremors were also felt in several places in Johor Bahru in the morning. According to a Fire and Rescue Department spokesman, three reports on tremors were received, namely at the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) building in Jalan Padi Emas 1, Menara Kastam in Jalan Tun Razak and Menara Tabung Haji at Jalan Ayer Molek.

However, no injuries or cracks to buildings were reported. About 400 LHDN staff and the public at the LHDN office were shocked when they were directed out of the building at 11.10am local time.

State LHDN principal assistant director Norazam Sulaiman said he was on the 11th floor during the incident.

“I felt a tremor at 11.10am and immediately called the Meteorological Department to make a report. Then, we were all directed down by security personnel to gather at the emergency safe zone,” he said.

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis because it lies on the Ring of Fire — the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles the entire Pacific Rim. The island of Sumatra was hit by several earthquakes last year. AGENCIES

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