ARAU: The installation of an electric and diesel pump station, along with 15 mobile emergency pumps, is expected to help address the perennial problem of flooded padi fields in Perlis during the monsoon season.

State Agriculture, Plantation and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Razali Saad said the initiative was part of the state government's ongoing efforts to mitigate the issue, which affects nearly 3,233ha of padi under the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada).

"The main aim is to expedite the outflow of water from the fields so that padi crops are not damaged. With this measure, we hope to reduce the impact of floods on farmers whenever their fields are inundated.

"Such incidents typically occur during heavy rains from May to June and September to November," he told reporters after inspecting sites in Kampung Telaga Haji Latif, Kampung Telok and Kampung Paloh in Guar Sanji today with Mada representatives.

He said past floods had highlighted the urgent need to expedite long-planned drainage upgrades in the area. "We expect the project to begin next month and be completed by May next year," he said.

Razali added that the move would allow farmers to plant padi according to Mada's planting schedule, avoiding delays that could disrupt production.

"With these facilities in place, farmers, especially those in this area, will be able to follow the scheduled planting phases, which is crucial to improving yields," he said.

In November last year, continuous rainfall over several days inundated 3,233ha of padi fields in Mada's Zone I territory in Perlis.

The floods damaged a large portion of crops, affecting 1,100 farmers and residents, some of whom had to bear the additional cost of replanting.

KUALA LUMPUR: Paras air di Empangan Bukit Merah, Perak, dilaporkan masih berada pada tahap kritikal dan mencapai status 'aras henti bekalan pengairan', sekali gus menjejaskan kelancaran bekalan air ke kawasan sekitar.

Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (JPS) Perak dalam hantaran di Facebook, berkata setakat semalam, bacaan paras air mencatat 6.17 meter seperti ditetapkan prosedur operasi standard (SOP) pengendalian empangan dengan baki simpanan air sebanyak 8.0351 juta meter padu (14.75 peratus).

NEW DELHI: A deadly flood that devastated an Indian Himalayan town this week was likely caused by a collapsing glacier, worsened by climate change, experts said.

Scores remain missing after a torrent of water and debris tore through Dharali in Uttarakhand state on Tuesday.

Videos show people fleeing before being engulfed by waves that uprooted buildings and buried others in freezing mud.

At least four deaths have been confirmed, with over 50 still missing. Officials initially blamed an intense “cloudburst,“ but experts argue heavy rains merely triggered the disaster after days of soil saturation.

P.K. Joshi, a Himalayan hazards specialist, suggested a moraine dam holding glacial meltwater collapsed, causing a flash flood.

“Given the persistent rainfall and sudden discharge, a glacial lake outburst flood or moraine dam failure is suspected,“ Joshi told AFP.

He noted unstable sediment zones upstream contributed to the flood’s destructive force. Satellite checks for debris sources remain hampered by cloud cover, leaving no definitive confirmation.

Safi Ahsan Rizvi of India’s disaster agency also cited a “glacio-fluvial debris landslide” as the likely cause. Glaciologist Sandip Tanu Mandal pointed to excessive meltwater and rainfall filling a glacial lake before its potential collapse.

Mandal noted the flood’s water volume far exceeded rainfall levels, indicating a lake breach. Himalayan glaciers, vital for two billion people, are melting rapidly due to climate change, raising disaster risks.

Permafrost thaw increases landslide threats, compounding hazards in the fragile region. Joshi warned the disaster underscores the “interconnected nature of Himalayan hazards.”

Unchecked development in floodplains worsened the damage, he added. – AFP

KUALA LUMPUR: Fourteen squatter houses and four shops were destroyed in a late-night fire along Jalan Pantai Dalam late Thursday (Aug 7) night.

The Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) said it received an emergency call at 11.11pm regarding the blaze.

"Firefighters arrived within five minutes to find the squatter homes engulfed in flames, which had spread to four shops, including a convenience store,” he said in a statement.

The squatter homes were about 90% destroyed, while the shops sustained damage of about 80% on the upper floors and 10% on the ground floors, he added.

The blaze was brought under control at 1.49am on Friday (Aug 8). No one was hurt during the incident.

Firefighters continued overhaul work at the scene to ensure the fire was completely extinguished.