Sabah, Malaysia struck by strong 6.0 magnitude earth quake.

Strong 6.0-magnitude quake strikes Malaysia's Sabah

A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake rocked the state of Sabah on Malaysia's Borneo island early Friday, say US geologists said. 

File picture of a seismograph reading. (Photo: AFP)

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KUALA LUMPUR: A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake rocked the state of Sabah on Malaysia's Borneo island early Friday, US geologists said, but there was no tsunami warning issued.

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres, with its epicentre located 19 kilometres from the town of Ranau and 54 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu in the district of Sabah.

The tremor, which lasted for about 30 seconds, caused minimal damage to buildings.

According to the Ranau police, several business premises in Ranau town reported shattered windows in the buildings.

Malaysian social media users uploaded photos showing damaged roads, shattered storefront windows and cracked walls and floors in Sabah.

But there were no initial reports of major damage.

Major earthquakes are rare in Malaysia, which lies just outside the Ring of Fire, the belt of seismic activity running around the Pacific basin.

- AFP/CNA/al