Facts on the ground: All about the Johor Earthquake
Learn more about the recent Johor Earthquake and what to do if you’re caught in a seismic event.
If you live in Singapore, earthquake hazards might not have been your top priority. Still, as the recent earthquake in Johor has shown, it is always smart to be prepared — especially if you travel across borders regularly for business or leisure, or have properties in countries close to major tectonic fault lines.
What caused the earthquake in Johor and should you worry about it? How do you protect yourself and your loved ones in the event of an earthquake? Read this piece to find out more.
What happened in Johor?
One week. Seven earthquakes. In late August, a succession of tremors shook Johor, rattling residents who reside in the area.
How to stay updated The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) provides reliable and timely updates through their social media channels.
What's the chatter? Preparedness is essential. The community is encouraged to practice "Drop on, cover, hold on" safety drills regularly, while families areadvised to keep emergency kits at home.
Earthquakes are uncommon in Malaysia. How did it happen?
- Some parts of the world are more prone to earthquakes than others.
- Seismic and volcanic activity, a common cause for earthquakes, usually occur at the edges of tectonic plates. This happens during a processcalled subduction, where one plate moves beneath another, causingimmense pressure to build up3.
- For this reason, regions located along tectonic shift boundaries are more sensitive to earthquakes. One example is Japan, where evacuation drills are part of day-to-day living. This is due to the country’s location across three tectonic plates along the Pacific Ring of Fire4.
- In comparison, Singapore and Malaysia are not located close to any tectonic plate boundary. Instead, what happens in Johor is likely to be a relatively rare event: an “intraplate” earthquake that happened within one tectonic plate3.
- More specifically, the tremor might have been caused by a stress release along a minor fault within the Sunda Plate, said National University of Singapore’s senior lecturer of geography Muhammad Nawaz5. The Sunda Plate is a tectonic plate located in Southeast Asia, including Singapore and Malaysia.
- Intraplate earthquakes are caused by small, undetected faults within a tectonic plate, and tend to be milder. A rare exception is the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that claimed over 185 lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 20113.
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Sources:
- https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-earthquake-johor-tremors-segamat-5311086
- https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/mild-earthquake-strikes-segamat-in-johor-three-days-after-first-two
- https://mothership.sg/2025/08/earthquake-johor-4th
- https://www.asiaone.com/malaysia/34-magnitude-earthquake-strikes-johor-5th-6-days
- https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/2-7-magnitude-quake-hits-segamat-damaging-govt-buildings-sixth-in-johor-in-a-week
- https://www.asiaone.com/malaysia/another-earthquake-hits-johor-7th-week
- https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/st-explains-what-caused-the-johor-earthquake-and-is-singapore-safe-from-such-tremors
- https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/plate-tectonics-ring-fire/
- https://sg.news.yahoo.com/st-explains-caused-johor-earthquake-051847590.html
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