The tremors lasted for a few seconds but were strong enough to be felt by the residents of the seven-storey quarters. Many rushed out of their apartments when they felt the jolt about 10.30pm.

“We were watching television when we felt the building rock for a few seconds," said a resident, Khadijah Hitam, 52.

She said she immediately called all her children and they ran out of their house. Khadijah said it was not the first time that they felt the tremors from an Indonesian earthquake. The last time they felt a similar jolt was in 2001.

Another resident, Ruzihan Yaacob, 42, said she panicked when she felt the building shake."I thought the building was going to collapse."

Ruzihan added: "I saw my neighbours rush downstairs and I got my family to do the same. I was worried for their safety then."

Some 20 cracks were found on the walls, pillars and staircases on the third floor.

Johor PWD director Datuk Mohd Noor Yaacob said the cracks did not affect the building structure.

"However, further investigation will be carried out to detennine whether the building is safe," he said.

The residents returned to their home at 6.30pm yesterday.