Deep-focus quake about 1,500km away detected by local monitoring stations
Minor ground motions were detected in Singapore after a powerful earthquake struck off Sabah on Feb 23, with some residents reporting that they felt gentle tremors.
Ground Motions Detected Locally
The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said monitoring stations recorded minor ground motions comparable to past regional earthquakes.
Although the quake occurred about 1,500km away, it was significantly deeper at 620km below the Earth’s surface.
“Deeper earthquakes tend to produce seismic waves that can travel long distances more efficiently with less energy loss, which may be the reason tremors were felt in Singapore,” MSS said.
Residents Report Gentle Swaying
Netizens in areas such as Toa Payoh, Balestier, Punggol and Ang Mo Kio reported feeling shaking.
One Reddit user described it as among the strongest tremors he had experienced in Singapore, while others said they felt light swaying while at home.
A Punggol resident said he felt the tremors for about eight to 10 seconds but was not alarmed, noting that buildings in Singapore are designed to withstand such movements.
Experts Explain Why Tremors Travel Far
The US Geological Survey recorded the quake at magnitude 7.1, while the Malaysian Meteorological Department measured it at 6.8.
Associate Professor Tong Ping from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) said low-frequency surface waves can travel thousands of kilometres with relatively weak energy loss.
By the time the waves reached Singapore, the ground motion was small but still enough for occupants on higher floors to feel gentle swaying.
Assistant Professor Aron Meltzner, also from NTU’s Earth Observatory of Singapore, said the shaking pattern described by residents was consistent with a distant large earthquake rather than a nearby one.
Deep-Focus Earthquake
Prof Meltzner noted that the Sabah quake was classified as a deep-focus earthquake.
While deep earthquakes typically do not cause very strong shaking directly above their source, their seismic waves travel more efficiently through the Earth’s interior, allowing the effects to be felt over longer distances.
As a result, such earthquakes are often felt much farther away than shallow quakes of similar magnitude.
Buildings Designed For Safety
Singapore has previously experienced tremors from major earthquakes along the Sunda megathrust and the Great Sumatran Fault, including the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.
The Building and Construction Authority said in August 2025 that buildings here are designed to withstand lateral forces, including tremors from distant earthquakes.
National University of Singapore senior lecturer Muhammad Nawaz added that while Singapore is unlikely to experience strong earthquakes, residents should still take basic precautions, such as securing heavy furniture and having an emergency plan.
Experts said the tremors felt in Singapore were consistent with the large, deep earthquake in Sabah. While such events are uncommon, authorities reiterated that local infrastructure is built to handle distant seismic activity.
Sources: Straits Times (2026)
Keywords: Sabah Earthquake Singapore Tremors, Deep Focus Earthquake, Minor Ground Motion Singapore, NTU Earth Observatory, Seismic Waves Travel
