30 mountain guides are on standby to carry out rescue mission for climbers who might be stranded on Mount Kinabalu following an earthquake which hit Sabah today.

One of the mountain guide, Mohd Asli Supilin said they were awaiting the greenlight from the Kinabalu National Park management to ascend the 4,095.2m high mountain.

"We will carry out the rescue mission if there are climbers or the Park's staff stranded there," he told Bernama when met at the park here today.

Mohd Asli said the mountain guides not only guide climbers up the mountain, but were also trained to handle emergencies.

Meanwhile, a source from the Kinabalu National Park said there were 138 climbers believed to be stranded on the mountain following the quake.