BANGKOK: The Bangkok authorities have recovered four additional bodies from the collapsed Office of the State Audit Office (SAO) building following the recent earthquake, bringing the total death toll to 41, with 53 people still missing.

Rescue operations continue, with debris removal now nearly 50 per cent complete.

As of Monday (April 14) at 10am, a total of 103 individuals have been confirmed as victims of the disaster.

Four additional bodies were recovered overnight, bringing the current death toll to 41, with nine people injured and 53 still unaccounted for.

Overnight, rescue teams expanded their operations to zones B4 and C1, where faint light signals had previously been detected.

Crews successfully cleared obstructing beams and excavated an area measuring 4m deep and 5m wide to allow K-9 units and rescue personnel to search more effectively. However, no signs of life were detected in this operation.

Currently, approximately 50 per cent of the debris removal has been completed. Despite the ongoing Songkran holiday, all emergency personnel remain fully deployed.

Heavy machinery continues to operate at full capacity, with monitoring teams stationed across all zones. Water is being sprayed regularly to control dust, and manual searches resume whenever machinery halts.

BMA spokesperson Ekwaranyu Amrapal stated that the city has deployed psychologists and interpreters to support both rescue personnel and the families of the victims.

As of 3pm on April 13, a total of 23,405 individuals have formally reported damages.

The top five districts with the highest number of reports include Chatuchak with 3,080 cases, Huai Khwang with 2,580 cases, Bang Sue with 2,501 cases, Phasi Charoen with 2,067 cases, and Thonburi with 1,140 cases.

All 50 district offices have begun scheduling inspections and damage assessments for affected buildings since April 10.

These activities continue through the Songkran holiday, although limited access has been reported due to many residents being away.

The authorities urge building owners to contact their respective district offices upon returning home.

Victims seeking financial aid must submit requests to their local district office within 30 days of the incident, no later than April 27, 2025.

Police officers have been stationed at all district offices during business hours to facilitate the filing of official reports.

Damage evaluations will be conducted by district-level committees and reported to the BMA’s DPMM.

Approved cases will then be submitted to the DPMM at the national level for financial assistance. - The Nation/ANN

JERANTUT – Seorang penduduk dan anaknya nyaris dihempap dahan besar pokok durian tua di belakang rumah dalam kejadian ribut di Felda Kota Gelanggi Dua dekat sini semalam.

Dalam kejadian selama 20 minit bermula pukul 5.45 petang semalam itu sebanyak 30 rumah mengalami kerosakan teruk akibat dibadai ribut termasuk beberapa buah kenderaan yang rosak dihempap pokok.

Seorang penduduk, Zaini Zainal Abidin, 47, berkata, ketika kejadian pada pukul 5.45 petang semalam, dia bersama seorang anaknya sedang makan di ruang dapur.

“Pada mulanya saya tidak menyangka bencana akan berlaku memandangkan kebiasaannya cuma angin kencang sahaja dan hujan lebat, tetapi tidak melibatkan banyak pokok tumbang di belakang rumah termasuk pokok durian tua setinggi 20 meter.

“Lama-kelamaan, keadaan mula berubah dan bertukar menjadi ribut sehingga kedengaran banyak dahan pokok yang jatuh serentak dengan itu suara jiran menjerit minta menyelamatkan diri,”katanya di Felda Kota Gelanggi Dua di sini hari ini.

Cerita Zaini lagi, dia terus membuka pintu dapur untuk melihat keadaan di luar dan tidak semena-mena nampak dahan besar pokok durian tua berdekatan dapur mula menghempap ke arahnya.

SUBANG JAYA: Keadaan hujan dan cuaca tidak menentu memberi cabaran kepada pasukan teknikal untuk melakukan proses siasatan.

Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan berkata, kerja korek tanah terpaksa dihentikan ketika hujan kerana struktur tanah yang tidak stabil.

“Selepas hujan reda, air yang bertakung perlu dipam keluar sebelum kerja mengorek tanah dapat diteruskan semula.

“Ini sedikit sebanyak akan melambatkan proses siasatan dapat dijalankan,” katanya ketika dihubungi Harian Metro hari ini.

Terdahulu, media melaporkan laporan lengkap berhubung insiden kebakaran paip gas yang berlaku di Putra Heights, minggu lalu dijangka diperoleh pertengahan Mei depan, lebih lewat dari jangkaan awal, disebabkan keadaan cuaca serta faktor kestabilan tanah di lokasi kejadian.

Menteri Besar Selangor, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari dilaporkan berkata, laporan awal sepatutnya diperoleh dalam tempoh dua minggu pertama selepas kejadian, namun kelewatan berlaku kerana keadaan tanah masih terlalu rapuh dan tidak selamat untuk dimasuki pasukan penyiasat.

In JOHOR, two temporary relief centres have been opened in Segamat, raising the number of those displaced by the floods in the state to 195 people, from 60 families as of 4 pm, compared with 148 victims, from 48 families, recorded this morning.

State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) chairman Tan Sri Dr Azmi Rohani said that three temporary relief centres are currently in operation - one in Batu Pahat and two in Segamat, which were opened at 1 pm today.

He added that eight rivers in the state are at alert level, including Sungai Senggarang in Batu Pahat, with a reading of 3.09 metres, and Sungai Batu Pahat at 2.30 metres.

He added that other rivers currently at alert level include Sungai Pulai in Kampung Ulu Pulai, Pontian, with a reading of 1.88 metres, Sungai Belemang Besar at Simpang 5 Darat, Tangkak (4.08 metres), and Sungai Endau in Kampung Labong, Mersing (1.01 metres).

In SABAH, the number of flood evacuees rose to 890 individuals, from 259 families, as of this evening, compared with 875 people, from 254 families, recorded earlier in the day. Evacuees are being housed in 10 temporary relief centres (PPS).

According to the Sabah State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) Secretariat, Nabawan remains the worst-hit area, with 467 people, from 119 families, sheltering in six centres, followed by Sook (239 people, 79 families, two centres), Beaufort (108 people, 40 families, one centre) and Keningau (76 people, 21 families, one centre).

“A total of 40 villages were affected by the floods, with 30 villages in Nabawan, six villages in Beaufort and two villages each in Sook and Keningau,” it said in a statement, today.