Sabah to get three more seismic motion sensors

Sensors to be operational by September; Metrological Department to install 20 more sensors across the country.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Metrological Department will install three more weak motion seismic sensors in Sabah and they are expected to be operational by September.

This is part of the department’s 20 sensors costing nearly RM9 million that are being installed across the nation. Eight are weak motion and 12 are strong motion sensors.

These additional sensors will add to the 17 seismic sensors that are already in service nationwide.

“The weak motion sensors for Sabah will be installed in Ranau, Semporna and Danum Valley,” said Dr Wan Azli Wan Hassan, director of the department’s Earthquake and Tsunami Centre, at the Parliament lobby here yesterday.

Weak motion sensors are capable of detecting seismic waves worldwide. For example, a sensor installed in the Peninsular can detect seismic waves in Sabah.

Strong motion sensors may only detect vibrations and soil movements and cannot detect seismic waves.

Sabah at present has six seismic sensors in operation and they are located in Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Kudat, Beluran, Tawau and Lahad Datu.

Wan Azli said both types of sensors are capable of transmitting ground motion data and seismic waves to the seismic data collection centres in Petaling Jaya and Kota Kinabalu in less than 10 minutes after an earthquake strike.

“The sensor will send a plenary report to the centre and we will be able detect the areas affected by an earthquake or a tsunami occurrence.”

The data from the sensor will also enable the department to measure the magnitude of the earthquake on the Richter scale.

– BERNAMA