The Segamat District Office has taken to Facebook to remind the public that Malaysia is not completely free from earthquake risks, debunking several common misconceptions about seismic activity.
In its Facebook post, the office cited information from the Malaysian Meteorological Department, addressed three widespread myths that continue to circulate.
“Malaysia is not completely free from earthquake”
The first is the belief that Malaysia is entirely safe from earthquakes, which it clarified as untrue.
On June 5, 2015, a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Ranau, Sabah, killing 18 people and leaving a lasting reminder that the country is not immune to seismic events.
The post also explained that while Malaysia does not sit directly on the Pacific Ring of Fire, certain regions remain vulnerable to aftershocks from regional earthquakes.
Cannot be predicted and prevented
The second and third myths are that earthquakes can be accurately predicted and prevented.
The second misconception is that earthquakes can be predicted using specific methods. In reality, earthquakes cannot be predicted, and no experts or agencies — whether local or international — have the ability to forecast when and where one will strike.
The third myth is the idea that humans can stop earthquakes from happening. The post emphasized that while preventing earthquakes is impossible, communities can reduce casualties and destruction by being well-prepared and taking the right measures.
Read the full post here:
