Mangsa dipindahkan ke PPS Dewan Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Membakut selepas daerah itu dilanda banjir pada 3 petang tadi.

Lima kampung di daerah Membakut, Sabah dilanda banjir petang tadi, maka jumlah mangsa yang berlindung di pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) dijangka bertambah.

Bernama yang memetik Sekretariat Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Sabah melaporkan mangsa dipindahkan ke PPS Dewan Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Membakut, selepas daerah itu dilanda banjir pada 3 petang tadi.

Urusetia memaklumkan jumlah mangsa banjir yang berlindung di PPS setakat 8 malam tadi seramai 721 orang daripada 212 keluarga.

Secara keseluruhan, seramai 430 orang (137 keluarga) sedang berlindung di tiga PPS di daerah Beaufort, 278 orang (71 keluarga) di dua PPS di daerah Kinabatangan, dan 13 orang (empat keluarga) di daerah Tambunan.

Sementara itu di Sarawak, jumlah mangsa yang berlindung di PPS menunjukkan pengurangan, daripada 3,454 orang kepada 3,082 orang.

Bintulu mencatatkan penurunan jumlah mangsa kepada 1,775 orang daripada 1,836 orang, begitu juga di Sibu daripada 737 orang kepada 429 orang, manakala di Miri daripada 274 orang kepada 271 orang.

Jumlah mangsa di Mukah bagaimanapun kekal 607 mangsa, Sekretariat Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Sarawak dilapor berkata.

Tiga PPS iaitu SMK Sebauh dan SMK Bekenu di Bahagian Miri serta Kompleks Sukan Kanowit di Bahagian Sibu ditutup menjadikan 16 PPS masih beroperasi.

BEIJING, Feb 8 — More than 30 people are missing after a landslide in China’s southwestern Sichuan province today, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The landslide hit Jinping village in the city of Yibin at around 11:50 am in China/Malaysian time.

“Ten houses had been buried, more than 30 people were missing, and around 200 people were evacuated and relocated,” CCTV said.

People should avoid the area as the landslide was “still ongoing”, the state broadcaster added, quoting on-site rescuers.

China’s President Xi Jinping had ordered authorities to do “everything possible to search for and rescue missing people, minimise casualties, and properly handle the aftermath”.

The country’s Ministry of Emergency Management said in an online post that two people had been rescued.

Emergency response teams were on site searching for survivors, it added.

Authorities have also allocated 30 million yuan (RM18.3 million) to support the disaster relief efforts. — AFP

BANGKOK: The air quality in most areas of Bangkok metropolitan was at a moderate level on Saturday (Feb 8) morning, but the PM2.5 levels in 22 districts exceeded the safety standard, the Air Quality Information Centre of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said.

The centre reported the average PM2.5 levels throughout the city on Saturday at 37.4 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³), slightly under the country’s standard of 37.5 µg/m³ over a three-hour average (5am to 7am).

PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, posing health risks such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Major sources of PM2.5 include traffic emissions, factories, forest fires and burning of harvest leftovers.

The five districts that reported the highest levels of PM2.5 are Lat Krabang (52.5 µg/m³), Nong Jok (51.2 µg/m³), Bang Na (48.6 µg/m³), Khlong Sam Wa (48.6 µg/m³), and Beung Kum (48.2 µg/m³).

The centre advised Bangkokians to wear facemasks, avoid spending time outdoors and work from home if possible.

Those who experience symptoms such as coughing, eye irritation or have trouble breathing should see a physician, the centre added.

Air quality can be checked daily on the AirBKK application, www.airbkk.com, Line Alert, as well as the Facebook page of the BMA’s Environment Department. - The Nation/ANN

SIBU (Feb 8): Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian has urged Sarawakians to continue supporting Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to drive the state’s development to greater heights.

He emphasised that Sarawak has made significant progress in recent years, thanks to the commitment and vision of its leaders.

“We would become a very developed state, on par with or even more developed than some states in Malaysia.

“We could do this because we have stability and we don’t quarrel,” he said at the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Bukit Assek Chinese New Year celebration and installation ceremony here today.

Dr Sim, who is SUPP president, stressed the importance of unity and harmony in ensuring Sarawak’s continued development.

Meanwhile, Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng highlighted that his constituency has received RM20 million in funding under the Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) since 2022.

“This includes 159 upgrading and development projects for the constituency.

“Additionally, there have been various funds to help home repairs for those in the B40 (low-income) group.

“Incentives are also available to those who obtained excellent results in SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia), STPM (Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia), and UEC (Unified Examination Certificate),” he said, adding that various community programmes are available.

Chieng added that his focus this year would be on the Bukit Assek redevelopment project and the Sentosa flood mitigation project.

During the event, Dato Chieng Buong Toon was re-elected as the branch chairman for the 2025-2027 term.

Also present were Dr Sim’s wife Datin Amar Enn Ong; Deputy Minister for Public Health and Local Government, Datuk Michael Tiang; SUPP advisor Dato Ding Lian Cheon; SUPP Youth chairman and SUPP Bawang Assan chairman Councillor Kevin Lau; SUPP Pelawan chairman Clarence Ting; and SUPP Dudong chairman Wong Ching Yong.