PORTAL RASMI
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
PETALING JAYA: With 398 high-rise buildings over 150m tall in Malaysia, experts are raising concerns that many of these structures may not be adequately designed to withstand the increasing threat of regional earthquakes.
According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Malaysia, now in fourth place, trails China, the United States and the United Arab Emirates in the number of skyscrapers exceeding 150m.
Although the country has long been regarded as low-risk for seismic activity, structural engineers argue that this perception is outdated, especially as tremors from nearby countries such as Indonesia and Myanmar grow more frequent and intense.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia structural earthquake engineering expert Prof Dr Azlan Adnan said tremors in Sabah and along fault lines in Peninsular Malaysia indicate that the country now lies in a low to moderate seismic zone.
“With the growing number of high-rise buildings, particularly in urban areas like Kuala Lumpur and Penang, the potential impact of even distant earthquakes becomes a real concern.”
Azlan pointed out that newer public buildings in Malaysia, constructed after it adopted in 2017 Eurocode 8 (European standard for seismic-resistant design), are generally better equipped.
However, many older and privately developed high-rises remain vulnerable to significant seismic risks.
“One of the key issues is inconsistent enforcement. Eurocode 8 offers a strong framework, but it’s often overlooked unless required by authorities or foreign consultants.
“Some developers still cut corners. Without strict enforcement, seismic safety becomes a matter of individual discretion.”
He warned that buildings constructed on soft soil, common in parts of the Klang Valley, are particularly at risk, as tremors from major quakes in Indonesia or Myanmar can be amplified in such conditions.
The recent earthquake in Myanmar, which caused tremors as far away as Bangkok, has reignited concerns about Malaysia’s exposure to regional seismic activity.
Azlan said retrofitting vulnerable buildings is not only possible but necessary, especially for hospitals, schools and densely occupied residential towers.
“It’s technically feasible, but the cost and complexity often discourage building owners.
“What we need is a nationwide assessment and retrofitting programme to identify and strengthen these at-risk structures.”
Universiti Malaya senior lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Tan Chee Ghuan echoed similar concerns, particularly regarding high-rises built before seismic design became standard practice.
“There’s no official definition of a high-rise in our building codes, but once a building exceeds 10 storeys or around 35m, it starts to respond differently to forces.
“At those heights, wind and seismic loads become dominant, and with soft soil conditions in places like the Klang Valley, the shaking can be much worse,” said Tan, who is also a structural earthquake engineering expert.
He said seismic waves from distant earthquakes can travel over 1,000km and still cause significant shaking due to soil amplification.
“While landmark towers like KLCC Twin Towers, Merdeka 118 and The Exchange 106 were designed with seismic forces in mind, many typical residential towers were not. They may withstand wind, but earthquakes are a different issue.”
Tan underscored the urgent need to retrofit older buildings, noting that many were constructed before seismic considerations were included in the design process.
He added that while effective materials such as reinforced concrete jackets, steel bracing and fibre-reinforced polymer composites are available, their use in Malaysia remains limited to specialised or large-scale projects.
“Cost is part of the challenge, but perception is another. Too many still believe Malaysia is immune to earthquakes. That mindset has to change.” Azlan added that true resilience goes beyond engineering.
“Earthquake preparedness isn’t just about concrete and steel, it’s about people, planning, and systems working together. Taking action now will not only reduce risks in the future but also build a safer, more resilient Malaysia.”
PETALING JAYA: Proses membaik pulih rumah sewa yang musnah dalam tragedi letupan paip gas di Putra Heights, Subang Jaya dekat sini pada 1 April lalu dijangka mengambil masa setahun dengan anggaran kos pembinaan semula mencecah RM200,000.
Menurut mangsa, Salawati Zakaria, 42, perkara itu dimaklumkan oleh pemilik rumah sewanya yang terpaksa menanggung kerugian besar susulan kejadian tersebut.
“Sekarang ini kami masih dalam proses membersihkan kawasan yang terjejas, namun kerja-kerja pembinaan dan baik pulih belum dimulakan.
“Setakat ini, Majlis Bandaraya Subang Jaya (MBSJ) hanya membantu membersihkan kawasan luar rumah. Tuan rumah pula difahamkan mengalami kerugian kira-kira RM190,000,” katanya ketika ditemui Utusan Malaysia.
Tambah Salawati, kediaman baharu yang kini disewa mereka terletak kira-kira satu kilometer dari lokasi kejadian, namun menimbulkan kebimbangan kerana sering dilanda banjir berikutan sistem perparitan yang tidak sempurna.
“Semalam pun hujan lebat, kami jadi risau sebab rumah sekarang memang mudah dinaiki air.
“Malah, semasa banjir baru-baru ini, kami pun belum sempat keluar dari pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS),” ujarnya.
Menurut Salwati, dia bersama lebih 60 penduduk yang terjejas menerima bantuan susulan tragedi itu, termasuk mangsa yang mengalami kerosakan rumah secara penuh dan separa, petang semalam.
“Kami dibanci dari rumah ke rumah oleh pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) sebelum bantuan disalurkan,” katanya.
Katanya, suaminya akan kembali bekerja sebagai pemandu bermula hari ini selepas beberapa minggu menguruskan pelbagai urusan berkaitan rumah mereka yang terjejas.
“Baju sekolah dan buku anak-anak semuanya terbakar. Ia menjejaskan pembelajaran mereka sehingga kami terpaksa tangguhkan seminggu untuk mereka kembali ke sekolah selepas musim persekolahan bermula.
“Alhamdulillah, selepas itu kami dapat bantuan pakaian serta kelengkapan sekolah daripada NGO dan pihak sekolah sendiri. Barulah anak-anak dapat kembali ke sekolah seperti biasa,” katanya. – UTUSAN
PEMERIKSAAN saluran paip gas di Malaysia kini memasuki era baharu apabila teknologi pesawat tanpa pemandu (UAV) yang dilengkapi dengan sistem Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) mula digunakan secara lebih meluas dalam memastikan tahap keselamatan dan kecekapan operasi berada pada tahap tertinggi. Kajian yang dijalankan di beberapa lokasi sekitar Kuantan, Pahang oleh sekumpulan penyelidik dari Center of Applied Geomatics and Disaster Prevention (CAGeD) mendapati teknologi UAV LiDAR mampu mengenal pasti risiko geobahaya seperti tanah runtuh, hakisan dan masalah saliran dengan lebih cepat dan tepat berbanding kaedah tradisional.
Teknologi itu bukan sahaja menjimatkan masa dan kos pemeriksaan, malah mampu mengesan kawasan berisiko tinggi sebelum berlakunya kerosakan, sekali gus membolehkan tindakan mitigasi diambil lebih awal. Menurut penyelidik yang menjalankan kajian tersebut, data yang dikumpul melalui UAV LiDAR membolehkan pemetaan kawasan sekitar saluran paip dijalankan secara menyeluruh, termasuk mengenal pasti cerun berisiko tinggi seperti kawasan yang melebihi sudut 35 darjah.
Kawasan cerun tinggi berisiko mengalami tanah runtuh, manakala corak saliran yang tidak efisien boleh menyebabkan pengumpulan air dan seterusnya mengundang kakisan pada paip gas. Hasil analisis seterusnya divisualisasikan melalui sistem maklumat geografi (GIS), yang membolehkan peta dan model 3D dibina bagi mengenal pasti lokasi yang memerlukan tindakan lanjut.
Insiden letupan paip gas yang berlaku di Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, Selangor pada 1 April lalu menjadi satu contoh nyata kepentingan pemantauan proaktif terhadap sistem saluran paip negara. Letupan yang menyebabkan gegaran kuat dan kebakaran besar itu dipercayai berpunca daripada kegagalan struktur yang mungkin berkait rapat dengan tekanan tanah dan perubahan geoteknikal persekitaran.
Kejadian tersebut mengundang kebimbangan ramai dan memperlihatkan keperluan mendesak bagi pendekatan pemantauan berasaskan teknologi, seperti UAV LiDAR, untuk mengenal pasti tanda-tanda awal ketidakstabilan tanah di sepanjang laluan paip. UAV LiDAR berpotensi mengesan perubahan halus pada permukaan tanah serta pergerakan bawah tanah yang mungkin tidak dapat dikesan dengan pemeriksaan manual konvensional.
Teknologi UAV LiDAR bukan sahaja digunakan di Malaysia. Di peringkat antarabangsa, negara seperti Norway dan China turut menggunakan sistem sama untuk pemantauan bencana alam. Di Norway, UAV LiDAR digunakan untuk mengesan risiko runtuhan salji di kawasan pergunungan Trollstigen, manakala di Ordos, China, ia membantu memantau pergerakan tanah di kawasan perlombongan.
Dalam projek pemetaan jalan raya di kawasan sempadan Malaysia, UAV LiDAR berjaya memetakan kawasan seluas 150 kilometer persegi dengan ketepatan menegak hanya 5.51 sentimeter, membuktikan ketepatan teknologi ini dalam pemantauan geoteknikal. Kajian turut mengesyorkan agar penggunaan UAV LiDAR dijadikan sebahagian daripada prosedur pemeriksaan rutin saluran paip gas, khususnya di kawasan yang dikenal pasti mempunyai risiko geobahaya yang tinggi.
Langkah seperti pembangunan sistem saliran yang lebih baik dan penstabilan cerun juga disarankan bagi mengurangkan kemungkinan berlakunya hakisan yang boleh mengganggu kestabilan struktur saluran paip. Penggunaan teknologi ini dijangka bukan sahaja mampu mengurangkan kerosakan saluran paip, malah memberi impak positif terhadap keselamatan tenaga, alam sekitar, serta mengelakkan kerugian ekonomi akibat kebocoran gas atau kegagalan struktur.
42 mangsa banjir di 1 PPS P Pinang
- Admin UKK
- Berita
BUKIT MERTAJAM: Beberapa kawasan di Seberang Perai Tengah dan Utara dilanda banjir kilat susulan hujan lebat lebih tiga jam awal pagi tadi.
Antara lokasi dinaiki air ialah Taman Guar Perahu, Kampung Pelet, Penanti, Jalan Permatang Nibong, Permatang Pasir dan Kubang Semang.
Kampung Telok dekat Kawasan Perindustrian Sungai Lokan dan Taman Desa Murni dekat Sungai Dua, Merbau Kudung, Pajak Song serta sekitar Butterworth turut terjejas.
Jurucakap Angkatan Pertahanan Awam (APM) berkata, sebuah pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) dibuka di Dewan Permatang Pasir, di sini, 7 pagi tadi yang menempatkan 42 mangsa daripada 13 keluarga.
APM menerima maklumat awal berlaku banjir kilat dan beberapa kawasan di Kubang Semang dinaiki air pada 2 pagi selepas hujan lebat kira-kira 1 pagi tadi.
“Tindakan awal dibuat dengan memindahkan mangsa ke Masjid Kubang Semang, sebelum mereka dipindahkan ke PPS sebaik ia dibuka 7 pagi ini,” katanya dalam kenyataan.
Hujan berhenti 3 pagi tadi dan air mula surut serta tiada sebarang kemalangan jiwa dilaporkan.
Flash floods in Seberang Perai force evacuations as heavy rain lashes Penang districts
- Admin UKK
- Berita
BUKIT MERTAJAM, April 21 — Several areas in the Seberang Perai Tengah and Seberang Perai Utara districts were hit by flash floods early this morning following more than three hours of heavy rain.
The affected areas included Taman Guar Perahu, Kampung Pelet, Penanti, Jalan Permatang Nibong, Permatang Pasir, and Kubang Semang.
Floodwaters also inundated Kampung Telok near the Sungai Lokan Industrial Area and Taman Desa Murni in Sungai Dua, Merbau Kudung, Pajak Song, and parts of Butterworth.
A Civil Defence Force (APM) spokesperson said a temporary relief centre (PPS) was opened at Dewan Permatang Pasir at 7am to shelter 42 victims from 13 families.
He said the APM received initial reports of flash floods and rising water levels in parts of Kubang Semang at 2am, following heavy rain that occurred around 1am.
“Early evacuation was carried out by moving affected residents to Masjid Kubang Semang before they were transferred to the PPS once it was opened at 7am,” he said in a statement.
He added that the rain stopped around 3am and floodwaters have begun to recede, with no injuries or fatalities reported. — Bernama