KUALA LUMPUR: Tremors from an earthquake in Sumatra shook several parts of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and caused panic among residents of high-rise dwellings in the Klang Valley and Malacca.

The Meteorological Department said in a statement that an earthquake, registering 6.1 on the Richter scale, had occurred in northern Sumatra, 300km southwest of Klang, at 10.26pm local time yesterday.

A Reuters report quoted an official at Indonesia's meteorology agency as saying that there was a potential for damage given the earthquake's power and its relatively shallow depth.

The department here said tremors were felt in areas in the west coast of the peninsula. However, no tsunami alert was issued.

The Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department headquarters received numerous reports from residents.
"We sent our men to several areas in the city to check on the reports. So far, no evacuation notices have been issued," said a spokesman for the department.

Hernawati Suratno, 41, a resident of Apartment Seri Malaysia, Kampung Malaysia Tambahan in Sungai Besi here, who lives on the 17th floor, said the tremors lasted for five minutes.

"At first, I thought I was just dizzy because of my pregnancy, but changed my mind when I saw the water inside a bottle shaking. I immediately went down." she said.

Her neighbour, Rizal Rashidi, 38, said the shock woke him up. "I felt as if somebody was shaking my bed. When I woke up, I heard residents rushing out from their units."

Meanwhile, some 3,000 residents of the PKNS flats in Section 7, Shah Alam, also abandoned their units after feeling the tremors.

Resident Nazaruddin Osman, 37, said he was watching television with his family when he felt the tremors, which lasted for a minute.

"I immediately told my family to evacuate the building.

"When we went downstairs, hundreds of people were already at the parking lots there. We waited until the firemen came and completed their inspection."

Tremors were also felt by residents of Impiana Baiduri apartments in Jalan 224, Section 51A, Petaling Jaya and in Kelana Jaya.

In Malacca, tremors were felt by residents in Bandar Hilir, Ujong Pasir, Kelebang and Melaka Raya.

Residents of several high-rise dwellings were also seen leaving their units and congregating at the parking lots.

They returned to their units following checks by the Fire and Rescue Department.