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NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Myanmar junta fires warning shots at aid convoy as groups seek access to earthquake victims
- Admin UKK
- Berita
BANGKOK (Reuters) -Myanmar's junta said on Wednesday its troops fired warning shots at a Chinese Red Cross aid convoy, underlining the challenge of delivering relief amid a civil war as aid groups called for better access to help survivors of a devastating earthquake.
The military has struggled to run Myanmar following its coup against the elected civilian government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, reducing the economy and basic services including healthcare to tatters after civil war broke out.
Junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said the Chinese Red Cross had not informed authorities it was in a conflict zone on Tuesday night, and a security team fired shots in the air after the convoy, which included local vehicles, failed to stop.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the aid team and supplies were safe, and called on all parties in Myanmar to ensure the safety of rescuers.
"It's necessary to keep transportation routes for relief efforts open and unobstructed," Guo Jiakun told a press conference.
The firing came as the death toll from Friday's 7.7-magnitude quake rose to 2,886, with 4,639 injured, Myanmar state media said.
The rural parts of hard-hit Sagaing region were mostly under the control of armed resistance groups fighting the military government, the International Crisis Group said.
"They will be among the most challenging for aid agencies to reach, given regime restrictions, a complex configuration of local administrations and control by armed resistance groups, and the persistent conflict," it added in a statement.
Even before the quake, the ICG said, information had been hard to gather from such areas, because of a junta blackout of internet and mobile phone networks as part of the conflict.
"Soldiers are everywhere in the town," a man who travelled to Sagaing told Reuters. "They are there for security, not for rescue. They check every vehicle."
New York-based Human Rights Watch urged the junta to allow unfettered access for humanitarian aid and lift curbs impeding aid agencies, saying donors should channel aid through independent groups rather than only junta authorities.
"Myanmar's junta cannot be trusted to respond to a disaster of this scale," Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a report.
"Concerned governments and international agencies need to press the junta to allow full and immediate access to survivors, wherever they are."
The military has dismissed as misinformation accusations that it committed widespread atrocities as it fought against a multi-pronged rebellion that followed the coup.
Rebels have accused the military of conducting airstrikes even after the quake and on Tuesday a major rebel alliance declared a unilateral ceasefire to help relief efforts.
MILLIONS AFFECTED
The United Nations said there were more than 28 million people in the six regions affected by the quake, and it had $12 million in emergency funding for food, shelter, water, sanitation, mental health support and other services.
"The situation remains critical, with disrupted communications and road access hampering response efforts, particularly in Sagaing," the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) said.
Australia announced a further A$6.5 million ($4.1 million) in humanitarian support for Myanmar, supplied "through thoroughly vetted international and local partners".
In a statement on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, "We take proactive steps to ensure our assistance does not legitimise the military regime in Myanmar."
A woman in Mandalay, near the quake epicentre, told Reuters that authorities were building a stage for this month's Thingyan water festival, though many people were homeless, with bodies left under collapsed buildings.
The military council has rejected requests from international journalists to cover the quake devastation, citing the lack of water, electricity and hotels.
In neighbouring Thailand, the death toll from the quake rose to 22 on Wednesday, with hundreds of buildings damaged.
A search for survivors in the rubble of a skyscraper under construction in the capital, Bangkok, entered its fifth day with a change in role for some rescue dogs at the site, where 15 people died and 72 are missing.
Officials said two dogs were reassigned to provide emotional support for the families of those missing.Children patted the golden retrievers wearing light-up vests in a temporary shelter, while others spoke softly to them.
It brought a small sense of comfort, said Chanpen Keawnoi, whose mother and younger sister are missing.
"They said as long as the dog keeps barking when it hears a signal, there’s still a chance someone could be alive," she said.
The government is investigating the collapse and initial tests showed some steel samples from the site were substandard.
(Reporting by Bangkok Bureau, Shoon Naing; Writing by John Mair; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
SUBANG JAYA: The cause of the gas pipeline fire has yet to be identified, says Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohamad.
This comes amid claims that the fire was caused by construction work near the pipeline.
"It is too early to say," he told reporters here.
"An investigation will be conducted by all the relevant agencies led by the Police and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health," he said.
He said more information would be divulged once the investigation was completed.
"There are many statements being made following this incident, but we cannot verify these claims yet," he said.
Earlier today, a massive fire broke out at a Petronas gas pipeline in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, causing widespread panic as flames shot up in the air.
The heat from the flames — visible from kilometres away — were said to have melted plastic and metal located within a wide radius of the pipeline.
The fire was reported to have been accompanied by several explosions that shook the ground. The flames set off fires in several houses as the pipeline is located near residential areas.
There were also reports that several people were trapped in burning houses, even as the authorities began evacuating residents from the nearby areas.
More than 100 people have been injured so far and are being treated at hospitals and a temporary medical base at the Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple.
Dozens of firemen are still battling the flames in an attempt to prevent it from spreading.
The valve for the gas has been shut off, and the fire is only expected to be extinguished later today once the remaining gas in the pipeline runs out.
The Selangor Disaster Management Unit has activated a temporary evacuation centre at Putra Heights to assist residents, while traffic along the Elite Highway has been diverted.
PUCHONG – Kebakaran yang berlaku di kawasan pipeline Seksyen 13, Jalan Harmoni, Putra Heights masih dalam kawalan, namun pihak berkuasa mengingatkan penduduk agar tidak menghampiri kawasan yang terjejas bagi mengelakkan sebarang risiko.
Berdasarkan maklumat awal yang diterima daripada Petronas, terdapat tiga saluran paip utama di lokasi kejadian dengan saiz diameter masing-masing 36 inci, 36 inci dan 30 inci.
Kawasan yang terbakar melibatkan saluran paip di antara gate valve 210 hingga gate valve 211, sepanjang 18 kilometer.
Manakala, laluan pipeline dari gate valve 211 ke gate valve 212 berukuran 14 kilometer turut terjejas dalam insiden ini.
Sebagai langkah keselamatan, Petronas telah menutup empat gate valve utama, termasuk gate valve 210 dan 211 yang ditutup pada jam 8.46 pagi dan 8.51 pagi.
Namun, tekanan gas dalam saluran paip masih wujud, menyebabkan api terus marak sehingga kesemua gas dalam sistem terbakar sepenuhnya.
Petronas juga telah menjalankan kerja-kerja pelepasan gas di beberapa gate valve utama untuk mempercepatkan proses ini.
Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia, Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad berkata, pihaknya kini sedang memantau situasi bagi memastikan kebakaran dapat dikawal sepenuhnya.
“Kebakaran ini berpunca daripada tekanan gas yang masih berada dalam pipeline, jadi kami perlu menunggu sehingga gas tersebut habis terbakar sebelum melakukan pemadaman penuh.
“Kami juga telah mengerahkan anggota bomba untuk melakukan pemantauan ketat bagi mengelakkan sebarang risiko letupan atau kebakaran merebak ke kawasan lain,” katanya dalam sidang media di sini.
Beliau juga menasihatkan penduduk supaya tidak menghampiri kawasan saluran paip yang masih aktif bagi mengelakkan sebarang insiden tidak diingini.
Dalam usaha memastikan tiada mangsa yang tertinggal, pihak polis dan bomba telah menjalankan pemeriksaan ke atas 49 premis, termasuk 37 rumah di Taman Harmony dan 12 rumah di Kampung Sungai Baru.
Pemeriksaan kedua akan dilakukan bagi memastikan tiada penduduk yang terperangkap, terutama mereka yang tinggal bersendirian atau gagal melaporkan keadaan mereka kepada pusat operasi.
Setakat ini, kebanyakan mangsa mengalami melecur di bahagian kaki akibat letupan awal, dengan 63 orang telah dihantar ke hospital termasuk Hospital Serdang, Hospital Putrajaya dan hospital berdekatan.
Tiada kematian dilaporkan buat masa ini.
Punca kebakaran masih dalam siasatan, dan pihak berkuasa tidak menolak kemungkinan terdapat kerja-kerja penyelenggaraan atau aktiviti berhampiran pipeline sebelum kejadian berlaku.
Namun, sebarang spekulasi masih terlalu awal dan penyiasatan menyeluruh sedang dijalankan.
Penduduk sekitar Subang Jaya dan Putrajaya dinasihatkan supaya menjauhi kawasan pipeline, terutamanya sekitar blok 211 hingga blok 212, bagi mengelakkan sebarang insiden berulang.
Pihak Petronas sedang memantau pelepasan gas dan memastikan tiada risiko letupan susulan.
Perkembangan lanjut mengenai insiden ini akan dimaklumkan dari semasa ke semasa. – MalaysiaGazette
Malaysia berisiko mengalami gempa bumi
- Admin UKK
- Berita
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia mungkin tidak terletak dalam Lingkaran Api Pasifik, namun negara ini masih berisiko mengalami gempa bumi akibat pergerakan zon sesar aktif, kata Pakar Geologi Kejuruteraan dan Mekanik Tanah, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Dr Nor Shahidah Mohd Nazer.
Beliau berkata demikian sebagai mengulas kenyataan Pakar Geologi Sabah, Prof Dr Felix Tongkul yang meramalkan kemungkinan gempa bumi sehingga 6.5 skala Richter boleh berlaku di Malaysia, khususnya di daerah Ranau dan Lahad Datu, Sabah.
"Saya bersetuju dengan pandangan Prof Dr Felix bahawa Malaysia tidak mempunyai sesar aktif sepanjang Myanmar, tetapi kita tetap mempunyai zon-zon sesar aktif yang boleh mencetuskan pergerakan plat dan mengakibatkan gempa bumi.
"Bukit Tinggi di Pahang, sebagai contoh, adalah antara kawasan aktif, tetapi gegarannya masih dalam kategori rendah kerana pelepasan tenaga yang minimal," katanya ketika dihubungi, hari ini.
Menurutnya, walaupun risiko gempa bumi kuat di Malaysia adalah rendah, ia tidak bermakna negara ini boleh mengambil ringan aspek kesediaan menghadapi bencana alam.
"Kita perlu meningkatkan kajian dan pemantauan terhadap zon sesar yang berpotensi untuk aktif serta mengambil langkah berjaga-jaga dari segi pembinaan bangunan yang tahan gegaran di kawasan berisiko," katanya.
Terdahulu, Dr Felix dalam kenyataannya berkata, gempa bumi besar berpotensi berlaku di Lahad Datu dalam beberapa tahun akan datang, memandangkan kali terakhir gempa kuat berlaku di kawasan itu adalah pada 1923 dan 1976.
Dalam sejarah Malaysia, antara gempa bumi terbesar yang pernah direkodkan ialah di Lahad Datu dengan magnitud 6.2 pada 26 Julai 1976 dan 6.3 pada 11 Ogos 1923.
Sementara itu, gempa bermagnitud 6.0 di Ranau pada 5 Jun 2015 turut mengakibatkan kemusnahan serta korban nyawa di Gunung Kinabalu.
Dr Nor Shahidah turut menegaskan kepentingan pemetaan kawasan berisiko tinggi serta mempertingkat kesedaran dalam kalangan masyarakat mengenai bahaya gempa bumi di Malaysia.
"Walaupun kita bukan dalam Lingkaran Api Pasifik, tetapi kesan pergerakan plat tektonik di negara jiran tetap boleh memberi impak kepada kita," katanya.
Kuala Lumpur: Kebakaran saluran paip gas di Jalan Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, Selangor pagi tadi menggemparkan penduduk sekitar dengan ada menyifatkannya bagaikan satu bencana gempa bumi yang dahsyat.
Impak kebakaran dengan api yang marak menjulang ke udara sehingga dapat dilihat sejauh beberapa kilometer dari lokasi kejadian.
Setakat ini usaha menyelamat dan memadam kebakaran sedang giat dijalankan.
Berikut adalah kronologi kebakaran yang berlaku:
8.23 PAGI
Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) Selangor mengesahkan berlaku kejadian kebakaran saluran paip gas di Taman Puchong Perdana, Puchong, Selangor. Panggilan kecemasan diterima pada 8.23 pagi. Anggota dari Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat (BBP) Subang Jaya, Puchong, Shah Alam, Bukit Jelutong, Cyberjaya, Rawang, Klang Selatan, Klang Utara dan Damansara dikerahkan ke lokasi kejadian.
9.30 PAGI
Operasi padam kebakaran terus dilakukan, api masih menjulang tinggi, video kemusnahan di kawasan sekitar, kebakaran rumah mula membanjiri laman sosial. Penduduk di perumahan berhampiran lokasi kebakaran dipindahkan.
10.35 PAGI
25 mangsa terima rawatan awal daripada petugas Kementerian Kesihatan, lima daripadanya dihantar ke Hospital Serdang untuk rawatan lanjut. Antara kecederaan dilaporkan adalah luka, melecur dan kesukaran bernafas.
10.57 PAGI
Mangsa lain yang diselamatkan ditempatkan di kuil Sri Maha Kaliamman, Subang Jaya, berhampiran lokasi kejadian.
11 PAGI
Beberapa lagi mangsa menerima rawatan awal serta dihantar ke Hospital Serdang, Putrajaya dan Cyberjaya untuk rawatan lanjut.
11.06 PAGI
Menteri Besar Selangor Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari mengumumkan satu pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) dibuka di Masjid Putra Heights.
11.14 PAGI
Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) maklumkan bekalan elektrik di kawasan sekitar Subang dan Putra Heights terjejas.
11.15 PAGI
TNB gerakkan pasukan teknikal ke lokasi kejadian bagi menilai situasi semasa.
11.20 PAGI
Laporan awal bomba sahkan kebakaran melibatkan kebocoran saluran paip gas sepanjang kira-kira 500 meter.
11.25 PAGI
Petronas Gas Bhd sahkan kebakaran berlaku di saluran paip utamanya berhampiran Putra Heights, Puchong, Selangor pada 8.10 pagi. Petronas Dagangan Bhd (PDB) mengesahkan kejadian kebakaran tidak berlaku di mana-mana stesen minyak Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas).
11.30 PAGI
Gangguan bekalan elektrik di sekitar kawasan Subang Jaya pulih sepenuhnya.
11.54 PAGI
Jabatan Alam Sekitar lakukan pemantauan kualiti udara di kawasan sekitar kejadian.
12.19 TENGAH HARI
Masjid Al-Falah USJ 9 di Subang Jaya dibuka kepada mangsa terjejas untuk berlindung.
1 TENGAH HARI
78 anggota bomba dengan 22 aset, termasuk 10 jentera Fire Rescue Tender (FRT), empat unit Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS), lima unit Water Tanker dan masing-masing satu unit Pasukan Khas Bahan Kimia Berbahaya (Hazmat), unit BA Tanker dan unit ALP berada di lokasi kejadian82 mangsa diselamatkan dengan 12 orang dilaporkan cedera setakat ini.
1.05 TENGAH HARI
Laluan antara Seafield dan Bandar Saujana Putra di Lebuhraya Elite ditutup kepada semua kenderaan. Pihak Berkuasa Penerbangan Awam Malaysia (CAAM) sahkan operasi penerbangan di Lapangan Terbang Subang berjalan seperti biasa.
1.25 TENGAH HARI
63 mangsa yang cedera akibat melecur dibawa ke Hospital Cyberjaya, Putrajaya dan Serdang. Empat injap utama di Dengkil, Puchong, Batu Tiga dan Meru dilaporkan ditutup bermula 11.48 pagi bagi melepaskan saki baki gas asli. Proses melepaskan gas berkenaan akan mengambil masa kira-kira empat jam.
1.30 TENGAH HARI
Bomba sahkan 112 mangsa dan 49 rumah terjejas setakat ini.
1.40 TENGAH HARI
Kerja-kerja memadam kebakaran masih giat dijalankan, kenderaan polis, jentera bomba dan ambulans dilihat keluar masuk daripada kawasan kejadian.