Sabah Parks director Jamili Nais said two climbers who were injured on the 4,095-meter peak have been brought down. Nine more people are believed to be injured among the 137 stranded on the mountain, he said.
Their climbing route is apparently blocked or made dangerous by rocks and boulders loosened by the quake and small aftershocks, he said.
Jamili said helicopters can`t land due to bad weather and the high altitude, but park rangers and mountain guides are trying to help down the climbers.
Ranau has experienced several weak quakes in recent years. The meteorological department said Sabah has several active fault lines that result in occasional earthquakes.
State Tourism Minister Masidi Manjun said people from nearby villages joined the rescue team to try and reach the climbers.
He tweeted that the strong tremor had damaged climbers` huts and facilities on the mountain, and broke one of the twin rock formations famously known as the "Donkey`s Ears" on the mountain.
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