Breaking: 7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Malaysia

 

🇲🇾 | URGENTE: Sismo de magnitud 7,1 en Malasia. pic.twitter.com/TmkCTS1VcR

— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) February 22, 2026

 Breaking News (as of February 22, 2026): A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck in the South China Sea, offshore from Sabah, Malaysia.

According to the USGS:

• Magnitude: 7.1 (mww)
• Location: Approximately 55 km (34 mi) NNW of Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia (epicenter in the South China Sea, about 60–63 km west of Kudat in some reports)
• Depth: ~620 km (very deep, around 619.8 km)
• Time: 2026-02-22 16:57:46 UTC (local time in Malaysia: early morning of February 23, around 12:57 am Kuching time / after midnight)

The AlertaNews24 post reported it as an urgent alert for a 7.1 quake in Malaysia, with the event widely felt across a large region due to its strength, despite the great depth.Key points:

• Because of the very deep hypocenter (~620 km), much of the energy dissipates before reaching the surface → limited surface damage and no major structural collapse expected in most areas.
• No tsunami warning has been issued (deep earthquakes rarely generate significant tsunamis).
• This is described as one of the strongest earthquakes felt in Malaysia in over 100 years.
• The shaking was reportedly felt widely, including in parts of Sabah and possibly farther away.

Authorities (including Malaysian Meteorological Department / MetMalaysia and emergency services) are assessing any potential impacts, but early indications suggest mainly noticeable shaking rather than heavy destruction.(Images above show typical USGS earthquake maps, intensity reports, and location visuals for this event.)The situation is still developing — stay tuned to official sources like USGS, MetMalaysia, or local news for updates. If you're in the affected area, follow standard earthquake safety advice even for aftershocks.