Kuala Lumpur, June 5 (IANS): Five climbers on Mount Kinabalu are feared dead after a 5.9-magnitude quake jolted Malaysia's Sabah state on Friday.

Officials are not commenting on unconfirmed reports that at least five people on the summit area of Mount Kinabalu might have been hit by rockfalls after the mountain shook for nearly a minute, the Malaysian Star reported.

They were said to be among about 100 climbers stranded on the summit.

Most of the climbers were descending after reaching the 4,095-metre peak before sunrise when the earthquake struck at 7.17 a.m., with boulders and rocks from the granite surface dislodging and rolling down rapidly.

A Malaysian doctor, who managed to return to the Mount Kinabalu base camp, confirmed that at least one person died and two others were injured following the earthquake.

Pahang-based Rezlan Abdul Rahman, who was descending from the mountain, said one woman was dead after he felt her pulse.

“Two other women with her were injured," he said.

Rezlan said he was told that the three women were on the ropes when the quake hit, and the ropes came loose from the mountain.

Initial reports from the Malaysian Meteorological Services Department said the quake struck 16 km northwest of Ranau district.

Apart from the state capital of Kota Kinabalu, the tremors were felt in the Kudat and Kota Marudu districts.