A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off Malaysia's coast early Monday morning, sending shockwaves across Borneo and neighboring regions. The quake hit about 55 kilometers (34 miles) northwest of Kota Belud in the state of Sabah, on the island of Borneo, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Here's where the story takes an interesting turn. The quake occurred at 12:57 a.m. local time Monday, with the epicenter in the South China Sea northwest of Sabah's Kudat and at a great depth of roughly 385 miles. That extreme depth made all the difference. The offshore quake's strong magnitude and unusual depth made it widely felt but likely reduced the risk of severe damage compared with a shallow event of similar size. Deep-focus earthquakes tend to dissipate more energy before reaching the surface, limiting shaking intensity over populated areas.
The Malaysia earthquake wasn't alone—February 22-23 saw unusually high global seismic activity. Worldwide earthquakes above magnitude 3 during the past 24 hours on 23 Feb 2026 included 1 quake 7.0+, 2 quakes 6.0+, 6 quakes 5.0+, 34 quakes 4.0+, and 175 quakes 3.0+. In Southern California, a 3.5 magnitude earthquake struck off Rancho Palos Verdes coast with no reports of injuries or damage, marking the third earthquake reported off the Southern California coast in the last week. Other quakes also shook Ohio and Hawaii during the same period.
There have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries and no tsunami warning was issued from the Malaysia event. Seismic agencies continue monitoring the region, but for now, it's a reminder of how location and depth matter just as much as raw magnitude when it comes to earthquake safety.