AUTHORITIES are assessing the damage caused by the 5.2-magnitude earthquake in Ranau last night.

District Officer Faimin Kaimin said there have been no serious building structural damages in the township areas including Kundasang.

However, Faimin who is the District Natural Disaster committee chairman said he is still waiting for damage and assessment reports from villages and the district education office on schools.

“We would probably have a clear picture later this afternoon after Friday prayers,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sabah Parks has sent a team to assess the damage on Mount Kinabalu.

Its director Dr Jamili Nais said kilometre 1.5 of the mountain trail was damaged but is now passable, adding that the park will have an assessment report by 3pm.

All excursion activities on the mountain are halted until Sabah Parks completes its assessment report and repairs all damages to the trail, he said.

A total of 239 people, including lodge, construction and search and rescue workers at Laban Rata made their descent around 11pm last night, after being instructed to evacuate the lodges due to the earthquake.

Climbers started arriving at Timpohon Gates at the foot of the mountain in groups from 1.‎45am.

All rescue operations ‎at the park stopped at around 4.30am this morning after the last of the climbers made their descent. – March 9, 2018.