Eight minor earthquakes shook Bukit Tinggi in Pahang between 4.45am and 12.05pm yesterday, the Meteorological Department said.

In a statement, the department said it would continue to monitor earthquakes in the region and would inform the public of any latest development.

It also said that there were no more earthquakes detected in the Bukit Tinggi area until midnight last night.

Meanwhile, in Betong, the department's director-general Dr Yap Kok Seng said the earthquakes were due to the stabilisation process of the rock structure in the area.

He said that the small-scale earthquakes of less than 2.8 magnitude did not cause any damage to properties or endanger lives.

"The stabilisation process was due to rock movements from several major-scale earthquakes in Indonesia like the ones in Acheh on Dec 26, 2004, Nias on March 28, 2005, Padang on Sept 30 this year and Bengkulu on Oct 1 this year," he said.

He was speaking to reporters after attending a briefing on the earthquake at the Bentong district office today.

National Security Council secretary-general Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah, who was also present, urged residents in the area to inform the authorities should there be emergency situations arising from the phenomenon.

"This is important so that relief teams can be sent early," he said.

- Bernama