A magnitude-6.0 earthquake killed 13 people in Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu on Saturday, while six others were still missing, the country's state news agency, Bernama, reported.
The quake on the island of Borneo sparked huge rock slides, with rocks tumbling down the country's highest peak.
A reported 137 climbers were left stranded on the mountain, but are now said to have been rescued to safety.
The tremor was so powerful that it erased part of Kinabalu's "Donkey Ear" peak.
Part of the iconic 'Donkey's Ear' @Mount Kinabalu is gone due to strong tremor this morning. #MalaysiaEarthquake
The area is popular with amateur climbers from around the world, who usually undertake the relatively easy two-day trek to watch the sunrise on the peak.
Saturday's powerful quake has damaged many of the trails and climbing routes, causing officials to bring all mountain activities to a halt until further notice.
In the wake of the climbers' deaths, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Tan Muhyiddin ordered the country's National Security Council to introduce an early warning system for earthquakes, Bernama reported.
Although no casualties outside Mount Kinabalu have been reported so far, Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, said a total of 23 schools in six districts were affected. A number of buildings, roads, and a hospital reported damage, the extent of which is still unknown.
"To families of victims killed in the earthquake, I express my condolences and pray that they remain calm," Muhyiddin said in a statement.
Ranau district police chief, Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah, said Sunday the search for the six individuals still missing will resume early Monday morning.