ALOR STAR: A fire in Jalan Kampung Tongkang Yard here early yesterday morning has claimed the lives of two men.

The victims were believed to be self-employed Ibrahim Mydin, 61, and odd-job worker Muhammad Muslim Mohd Zaini, 22.

Their identities, however, have yet to be confirmed through DNA tests as the bodies were severely burnt.

State Fire and Rescue Department Zone 1 chief Fire Superintendent I Ahmad Aminuddin Abd Rahim said the fire was reported at 6.51am.

“Upon arrival, we found a twostorey house, made of brick and wood, engulfed in flames.

“The fire was brought under control by 7.11am. We later found two charred bodies on the ground floor, about 0.6m apart,” he said at a press conference at the scene yesterday.

He said initial findings suggested that the victims were sleeping on the upper floor before they died, and the wooden floor collapsed, causing the victims’ bodies to drop to the ground floor.

Investigations were ongoing to confirm this.

“The house was 70 per cent destroyed, with the living room and upper floor suffering the most damage.

“The door was locked when firefighters arrived, and investigations are being conducted to determine the cause and origin of the fire.”

The bodies had been sent to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital for post-mortem, and police were investigating whether there were any elements of foul play.

Muslim’s biological father, Mohd Zaini Hashim, 63, said several factors suggested his son was one of the deceased.

“Based on the charred motorcycle, the location of the bodies, and the fact that he hasn’t answered my calls, I believe it was my son,” he said.

“The bodies were completely burnt... I accept this as fate. Even without confirmation, I already feel the loss.”

Zaini said he was alerted to the fire at 7am and rushed to the scene.

“The last time I saw my son was yesterday at 11am at his grandparents’ house in Kuala Kedah. He was cleaning the yard for a cousin’s engagement ceremony at the end of the month.

“We didn’t talk much as I was heading to work. I just told him to enjoy his work,” he said, adding that his son had been living with his adopted father for the past three years.

Ibrahim’s biological son, Mohd Akram, 32, also believed his father was among the victims.

“I visited him yesterday evening. We talked about work, and I left for Kuala Kedah. He closed the gate at about 11pm. That was the last time I saw him,” said Akram.

In Klang, a fire at a gas storage factory in Taman Aman Perdana early yesterday morning left three people severely injured.

State Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (Operations) Ahmad Mukhlis Mukhtar said seven foreigners were involved in the incident.

Four managed to escape, while three suffered severe burns in the 12.55am fire at KL Gas Enterprise Sdn Bhd on Jalan Aman Perdana 6.

He said a team of firefighters from the Klang Utara station arrived within minutes and found the three-storey semi-detached factory engulfed in flames.

“The blaze had spread to two adjoining structures: a heavy machinery storage warehouse next to the gas storage and a copper processing plant located behind it.

“Both buildings sustained significant damage, with the factory and warehouse 80 per cent destroyed, while the copper processing plant was about 20 per cent burnt,” he said.

He added that 43 firefighters and 11 vehicles, including fire engines, were deployed from multiple fire stations, including Klang Utara, Klang Selatan, Andalas, Bukit Jelutong, Kapar, Damansara, and Pelabuhan Klang, to help with the firefighting operation.

The operation, led by senior officer Shaharil Mohamad Hassan @ Ibrahim, successfully brought the fire under control by 2am.

“The exact cause of the fire and estimated losses have yet to be determined. Investigations are ongoing to confirm the cause.”

Sekurang-kurangnya 16 orang maut dan lima lagi dilaporkan hilang selepas tanah runtuh akibat hujan lebat yang melanda wilayah Jawa Tengah, Indonesia, menurut polis dan pegawai bencana semalam.

“Sebanyak 16 orang disahkan maut, 10 mangsa yang cedera telah dirujuk ke hospital dan pusat kesihatan komuniti terdekat,” kata Ketua Polis Pekalongan, Doni Prakoso, kepada penyiar tempatan Metro TV.

Beliau berkata tanah runtuh itu berlaku kelmarin dan pasukan penyelamat sedang berusaha mencari sekurang-kurangnya lima orang yang masih hilang.

“Hujan di Pekalongan sangat lebat, dan kawasan yang paling teruk terjejas berada di kawasan berbukit atau pergunungan,” jelas Doni.

Rakaman televisyen menunjukkan sukarelawan mengangkat mayat dari kawasan tanah runtuh menggunakan pengusung buatan sendiri, dengan jalan raya dilitupi lumpur tebal.

Pegawai agensi bencana Jawa Tengah, Bergas Catursasi Penanggungan, berkata usaha mencari tertangguh kerana kesukaran untuk mengakses kawasan terjejas.

“Sukarelawan sedang dalam perjalanan ke lokasi,” katanya kepada Kompas TV. Masa amat terhad disebabkan cuaca, kami sedang berlumba dengan masa.

“Sukarelawan tempatan turut membantu usaha mencari bersama pasukan penyelamat, manakala jentera berat akan dikerahkan untuk membantu menggali mangsa yang mungkin masih hidup.

“Seterusnya, bagi mereka yang tertimbus di bawah tanah lebih tebal, kami berharap bantuan daripada peralatan berat,” katanya.

Indonesia sering terdedah kepada tanah runtuh semasa musim hujan, biasanya antara November hingga April. Bagaimanapun, beberapa bencana yang disebabkan oleh cuaca buruk juga berlaku di luar musim itu dalam beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini. AFP

A 6.0-MAGNITUDE earthquake hit taiwan, the Us Geological survey said, injuring 27 people, triggering landslides and causing ceilings of homes to cave in according to local authorities.

An AFP journalist in the capital taipei felt tremors for nearly a minute as the shallow quake struck shortly after midnight yesterday.

The epicentre was recorded 12km north of Yujing, a mango-growing district in southern taiwan, the Usgs said.

Firefighters rescued three people including a child who were trapped in a collapsed house in nearby nanxi district, video posted on Facebook and verified by AFP showed.

Elsewhere, authorities said a person was injured by falling debris while two people were rescued from elevators.

More than 50 aftershocks have been recorded, said taiwan’s Central Weather Administration which reported the initial quake at magnitude 6.4.

The ceilings of several homes collapsed, while roads were blocked by falling rocks and landslides, the national Fire Agency said.

But the agency reported “no major damage” from the quake, which injured 27 people according to the health ministry.

The aftermath saw classes and office work cancelled in nanxi district as well as Dapu township in mountainous Chiayi county, north of the epicentre.

Some roads in Dapu were “damaged and impassable”, and water and electricity supplies affected, Chiayi county chief Weng Chang-liang said.

Taiwanese chipmaking giant tsmc said it evacuated workers from some of its central and southern factories when the quake struck.

Taiwan is frequently hit by earthquakes due to its location on the edges of two tectonic plates near the Pacific Ring of Fire, which Usgs says is the most seismically active zone in the world.

The last major earthquake occurred in April 2024 when the island was hit by a deadly 7.4-magnitude tremor officials said was the strongest in 25 years.

At least 17 people were killed in that quake, which triggered landslides and severely damaged buildings around Hualien.

April’s earthquake was the most serious in taiwan since it was struck by a 7.6-magnitude tremor in 1999.

Some 2,400 people died in that quake, making it the deadliest natural disaster in the island’s history.

JOHOR BARU: Johor will receive 14 mobile water pumps in mid-february as part of preparations for the final wave of the monsoon season.

Johor Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) director Azren Khalil said the final wave usually signals the start of the monsoon transition period and is expected to bring significant rainfall.

“This phenomenon is forecast to occur between late February and early March.

“Receiving the 14 mobile pumps from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) in mid-february is perfectly timed to address this,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Johor currently possesses 49 mobile pumps, some of which are in use and others stored for future deployment.

“All unused pumps are stored on department lorries ready for rapid mobilisation to any part of the state.

“Setting up the pumps typically takes about three hours, and we remain on high alert to deploy them promptly when necessary,” Azren explained.

Some pumps are permanently stationed in rural areas and at tidal control gates located in Pontian, Batu Pahat and Mersing.

Besides the current monsoon, Azren said the department is also concerned with the upcoming southwest monsoon phase.

“Last year, we experienced extreme heat and we expect similar conditions this year.

“It is crucial to begin planning now for water resource conservation, particularly for agricultural and industrial use,” he said.

Johor Climate Change and State Disaster Management Select Committee chairman Anuar Abd Manap said Johor is expected to experience three waves during this monsoon season, with the third wave usually the longest.

“We have just gone through the first wave and are now preparing for the second.

“So far, there have been no reports of asset damage, but if any had occurred, they would usually be handled by the respective agencies,” he said.

The Welfare Department has also made arrangements, including stocking supplies for flood victims at temporary relief centres.

Anuar also said the Johor government is awaiting financial aid from Nadma to help recent flood victims here.