At 00:57 (local time, MYT, UTC+8) in the night of Monday, February 23, 2026, a strong earthquake was recorded off the Malaysian state of Sabah, on the island of Borneo. Magnitude estimates differ by agency — 7.1 for the USGS (United States) versus 6.8 for the Malaysian Meteorological Department — but one point is agreed: the hypocenter is very deep, greatly reducing the risk of major damage. No tsunami warning was issued for Malaysia.
A Powerful Tremor, But Buried: The Key Is That It Was “Felt” More Than Destructive
On international records, the event first appears as a number: magnitude 7.1, according to the USGS. On the Malaysian side, the Meteorological Department reports 6.8. This difference is not unusual. Indeed, at the start of a seismic crisis, first estimates are progressively refined as networks process more waves and update their models.
The heart of the story lies elsewhere, in a less spectacular but decisive parameter: depth. The USGS places the hypocenter at about 620 km deep. MetMalaysia mentions a depth on the order of 678 km. In both cases, this is a deep earthquake, very far beneath the ocean floor.
At these depths, the waves that travel upward toward the surface lose much of their destructive energy. On the ground, the result often looks paradoxical. Residents may feel walls tremble over a wide area. However, collapses remain rare because there is no sudden, shallow shock.
This contrast explains the tone of initial assessments: the USGS classifies the risk of casualties and damage as low. A methodical caution that does not rule out checks but rules out the image of an imminent catastrophe.
Where Did the Earthquake Occur? Borneo, Between Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu And Kudat
Initial locations vary slightly between reports: some point to an epicenter about 55 km north of Kota Belud (Sabah); others place it less than 100 km northeast of Kota Kinabalu (Sabah). MetMalaysia, for its part, locates the epicenter about 49 km west of Kudat, with coordinates near 7.0° N and 116.4° E.
These differences do not change the essentials: the epicenter is at sea, off the northern tip of Borneo. The area affected by felt shaking then forms an arc: the west coast of Sabah first, then more distant areas of Sarawak, where reports mention perceptible vibration.
In this region, earthquake violence is often associated with images of neighboring Indonesia. However, Borneo often plays a different role: an island less prominent on the seismic-risk map. Nevertheless, it is not isolated from large tectonic dynamics.
The Exact Time: Why 17:57 In Paris Corresponds To 00:57 In Malaysia
Confusion circulated about the time “in France”: 16:57 or 17:57. The conversion is simple in February.
Malaysia is on MYT (UTC+8). Paris, in winter, is on CET (UTC+1). The difference is therefore 7 hours.
Thus, 00:57 on February 23 in Malaysia corresponds to 17:57 on February 22 in Paris. The time 16:57 would reflect a different offset (summer time or a conversion error), not compatible with the date.
This kind of detail may seem anecdotal, but it matters. In the hours after an earthquake, every minute is precious. It helps sort reliable information from rumor and cross-check data. Then it helps decide what is an alert and what is monitoring.
Why No Tsunami Warning Was Issued
In the first minutes, the U.S. tsunami warning center issued no warning for Malaysia. Again, depth explains the event.
Tsunamis most often arise from sudden seabed displacement: a shallow rupture that raises or lowers a large volume of water. An earthquake at more than 600 km depth, even powerful, generally does not produce this kind of movement. It does not affect the surface of the ocean floor.
Caution remains, as always, in coastal areas. But the absence of a warning here fits a physical logic: the energy was released in the depths, not in a near-surface break capable of “pushing” the ocean.
A Deep Earthquake—What Does That Really Mean?
An earthquake is considered deep when the hypocenter is located several hundred kilometers below the surface. These events belong to a particular category: they occur in an oceanic plate that is diving, plunging beneath another — a world of enormous pressure where rock behaves differently.
The paradox is known to seismologists: at depth rock should deform rather than break as it does near the surface. Yet ruptures occur, linked to mineralogical transformations and complex mechanisms within the sinking plate.
For the public, the most visible effect is often this: a deep earthquake can be felt very far away. This sometimes happens over vast distances because some waves propagate efficiently through the mantle. But locally, destructive intensity is often lower than for a shallow earthquake of the same magnitude.
Borneo lies near several active Southeast Asian tectonic systems, between the Sulu and Celebes seas, not far from major subduction arcs. Although it is not the permanent epicenter of the largest quakes, the island remains within the plates’ realm. Indeed, they meet, grind, and dive.
Earthquake In Sabah And Sarawak: Monitor, Inform, Reassure Without Minimizing
Immediately, institutional response follows a rehearsed pattern: confirm the event, issue a clear message, maintain continuous monitoring. The Malaysian Meteorological Department said it is following the situation, reiterating there is no tsunami threat. It is also consolidating parameters such as magnitude, depth, and location.
Locally, everyday reflexes often measure impact: residents step outside for a few minutes, check for cracks, inspect shelves, call family. In schools, offices, and apartment buildings, the question is the same: was it “strong enough” to have weakened something?
Authorities know that risk, even low, also plays out through perception. A deep earthquake can be experienced as a puzzle: people feel it, see it on social media, but see no damage. Hence the importance of messaging that reassures without denying.
The Culture Of Risk In Malaysia: Less Exposed Than Its Neighbors, But Not Unconcerned
Malaysia is not automatically associated with very large earthquakes. By contrast, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan are. This relative position has an effect: seismic-risk culture is often less central in public debate.
Yet Borneo and the Malay Peninsula are not outside tectonic realities. Shakes, even rare, remind people of the need for simple actions. It is important to know earthquake instructions. Also, secure heavy objects and understand that a building can sway without collapsing. Additionally, panic is sometimes a more immediate danger than the movement itself.
In the hours following an event of this magnitude, useful information is not just the numbers. It is the ability to say: where, at what depth, with what real risk — and what that implies for the population.
What Is Known, And What May Still Change
At this stage, the main elements remain stable: strong earthquake, very deep, felt in Sabah and in areas of Sarawak, and no tsunami warning. Human and material tolls can still change as field checks proceed.
The next hours also serve to refine parameters. A magnitude can be revised, a position recalculated. Seismologists will look to see whether the event is part of a sequence (significant aftershocks, increased activity) or will remain an isolated, rare but informative shock.
For Sabah, the episode may amount to a night of vibrations and exchanged messages. For specialists, it recalls a stubborn reality: Southeast Asia is not just a map of volcanoes and coasts. It is a puzzle of moving plates.