Another Masive Earthquake

Strong Quake In Indonesia Causes Tremors In Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 (Bernama) -- An earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale rocked southern Sumatra, Indonesia at 6.15pm Wednesday, causing tremors to be felt across Peninsular Malaysia, especially in high-rise buildings.

The Fire and Rescue Department in all states were inundated with phone calls as soon as the tremors were felt, but there were no reports of accidents or victims trapped in elevators. However, the fire-fighters are still patrolling all areas to monitor the situation.

In KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) English sub-editor Muharyani Othman was working on the first floor of the 15-floor Wisma Bernama when she felt her computer screen vibrate and the newsroom tremble.

"I held on to the edge of my desk and asked my colleagues around whether there was an earthquake or tremor somewhere in the region. After a lapse of a few seconds, the Bernama building shook again. By that time I saw many of my colleagues rushing out of the newsroom to leave the building.

"It was quite scary, but I chose to stay back to finish subbing the story. Half an hour later, I was still feeling giddy and nauseous from the effects of the tremors," she said.

Interior designer Mohd Rizal Kamaruddin, 36, whose office is on the second floor of the Mid Valley shopping complex said he did not feel the tremors, but saw those working on the 10th and 21st floors of a neighbouring building rush out as soon as they saw the curtains and office equipment shaking.

OIC International Business Centre chief executive officer Datuk Dr Raja Mohamad Abdullah whose office is on the 24th floor of Menara TH Selbourne in Jalan Tun Razak said he was shocked on realising that the whole building was shaking.

"I felt the tremors when I was sitting in my room on the 24th floor. My bookshelf was shaking, I heard crackling noises coming from the ceiling," he said.

Abdul Aziz Minhat, 46, a civil servant who lives in the government quarters in Jalan Duta, said he was resting at home after returning from work when he felt the tremors.

KL Tower public relations officer Suhaily Sahad whose office is on the 11th floor of Menara Pan Global, Jalan Puncak at first thought she was feeling dizzy when she saw things shaking.

"But when I saw the office equipment shaking and rattling, my colleagues and I promptly left the building as a safety precaution," she said.

In KLANG, district police chief ACP Mohamad Mat Yusop said the district headquarters received 30 distress calls from residents in Klang town, Port Klang, Pandamaran, Sungai Kandis, Johan Setia and Kapar following the tremors.

Westports Malaysia public relations manager Martin Soosay said the company's staff who also felt the tremors were told by the security personnel to vacate the building temporarily and gather at a safe place.

A shipping company staff in Bayu Perdana, Roslinda Mohd Tauhid, said the tremors were rather strong that her table and water in a bottle shook.

In PUTRAJAYA, a five-month pregnant woman was trapped for almost an hour between her door and the grille of her unit at the top floor of the 16-storey apartment in the diplomatic precinct as she was rushing out to escape the tremors.

Norma Ali, 25, said the door had slammed shut due to the accompanying strong wind while the key was left inside the unit.

She said she could not get help from the neighbours as many had alread left the building for safety. However, she managed to call her husband who then contacted the Civil Defence Department whose people came about 7.20pm to cut the padlock of the grille to free her.

A resident, Abdul Mutalib Mohd Napawi, 34, who stays on the seventh floor, said they were allowed to return to their units at 7.45pm after members of the Fire and Rescue Department had inspected the building.

"We were alarmed as the tremors were rather strong, stronger than the one we felt a day before the fasting month," he said.

In KOTA BAHARU, some 300 residents of the Pelangi Mall condominium panicked when they felt the tremors in their homes.

Pelangi Mall Managing Committee chairman Najib Baharuddin said many thought they were simply feeling dizzy and only realised the building was shaking after a while.

The condominium's tower A and B have 22 floors each and tower C has 14 floors. Najib said inspection of tower A revealed some minor cracks.

In PENANG, several holidaymakers staying at hotels reported feeling the tremors, especially those on the higher floors. However, there were no reports of any untoward incidents.

In JOHOR BAHARU, a supervisor at the Selesa Hotel, Noraini Juki, 52, said she felt the tremors while performing her prayers at the eighth floor of the hotel at 6.15pm.

"I was prostrating at the time. I quickly finished my prayers before running out of the building with the other hotel staff," said Noraini.

Meanwhile, the strong tremor caused panic among residents at Block B of the Pantai Permai Housing scheme in Lembah Pantai when cracks appeared in one of the buildings.

Lembah Pantai Umno Youth chief M. Sazali Kamilan who was at the site said the flat dwellers realised the cracks at about 6.30pm.

"Due to the incident, about 70 families who live in the block, vacated their units and some of them remained outside, fearing for the worst," he told Bernama here.

However, they returned to their respective houses after the City Hall assured them that their units were safe.

Sazali who is also the Political Secretary of Federal Territories minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin said the Minister's office and the Lembah Pantai Umno Division would set up an operation centre in the area to provide humanitarian aid to the residents if required.

-- BERNAMA