JOHOR BARU: After five days of water disruptions caused by pollution in Sungai Johor, 94% of water supply has been restored to over 200,000 account holders, says state executive councillor Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh.

The Johor works, transportation, infrastructure and communications committee chairman said as of 5pm on Tuesday (Nov 4), supply to 201,554 out of 214,154 affected accounts had resumed since the incident began last Friday (Oct 31).

"To assist those affected, 31 water tankers with a total capacity of 613 cubic metres have been deployed daily to affected areas, each making between five and six trips a day.

"Assistance was also sent from Melaka and Negri Sembilan. The sudden demand and panic water storage caused intermittent supply in some areas," he added.

Mohamad Fazli acknowledged the hardship faced by residents, adding that full recovery is expected within the next eight to 12 hours, depending on stabilisation of pressure and reservoir levels.

Initial investigations found the incident was triggered by a domestic sand mining operator after soil movement led to the collapse of the sixth sand washing pond in Kota Tinggi, contaminating Sungai Johor.

This resulted in turbidity levels spiking dramatically to 37,400 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), far above the normal 400 NTU.

Following this, the Johor Land and Mines Office issued an immediate stop-work order and the company’s mineral permit was temporarily suspended to allow investigations, added Mohamad Fazli.

The probe is being carried out under Section 7A(1)(c) of the Water Enactment 1921 (Amendment 2014) and the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

"The state government has ordered the company to bear all cleanup and recovery costs, with further action to follow if laws were breached.

"The state government, led by Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, views the matter seriously and has prioritised swift recovery and transparent investigation.

"While the company involved is local, any action will be fair and firm, in the interest of the environment and the people of Johor," he said, adding that Onn Hafiz is also being updated with regular status reports.

The disruption has impacted around one million consumers across Johor Baru, Kota Tinggi, Kulai and Pontian since taps ran dry last Friday (Oct 31).

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JOHOR BAHRU – Bantuan luar dari Melaka dan Negeri Sembilan turut digerakkan bagi memastikan bekalan air alternatif dapat disalurkan secara berterusan sekali gus mengurangkan kesulitan pemegang akaun di negeri ini yang terjejas susulan pencemaran Sungai Johor sejak Jumaat lalu.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerja Raya, Pengangkutan, Infrastruktur dan Komunikasi Johor, Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh berkata, sebanyak 31 lori air dengan jumlah kapasiti keseluruhan 613 meter padu telah digerakkan setiap hari bagi penghantaran air bersih ke kawasan terjejas.

Menurutnya, faktor penggunaan mendadak serta simpanan panik pengguna turut menjejaskan paras tangki utama di beberapa lokasi, menyebabkan bekalan tidak selanjar (intermittent supply). “Loji Rawatan Air (LRA) Semangar telah pulih sepenuhnya, manakala LRA Sungai Johor masih dalam proses pemulihan berperingkat yang menjejaskan baki lebih 12,000 akaun di beberapa kawasan seperti Tebrau, Skudai, Tiram dan Gelang Patah,” katanya dalam kenyataan.

Mohammad Fazli berkata, aktiviti perlombongan yang menjadi punca pencemaran Sungai Johor di sini diarahkan untuk dihentikan serta merta oleh Pejabat Tanah dan Galian (PTG) Johor.

Katanya, kerajaan negeri juga mengarahkan syarikat terlibat supaya menanggung kos kerja pemulihan serta langkah pembersihan yang diperlukan dan akan dikenakan tindakan kompaun mengikut enakmen yang wajar.-KOSMO! ONLINE

KUALA LUMPUR: Several initiatives are underway to strengthen Malaysia’s earthquake monitoring capabilities, says the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry.

“Under the 13th Malaysia Plan Rolling Plan 1 (13MP RP1), the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) will implement the Phase 2 Earthquake and Tsunami Services Empowerment Project, which involves strengthening 12 seismic stations nationwide, constructing two new seismic stations in Segamat and Muar, Johor, and upgrading four seismic stations in Johor,” the ministry said in a parliamentary written reply dated Nov 4.

The Department of Minerals and Geoscience Malaysia (JMG), is monitoring 53 Fault Movement Benchmark Points (PAPS), which have been erected along fault areas throughout the country. This will serve as a reference for updating the Seismic Hazard Map.

“The Seismic Hazard Map published by JMG in 2017 has been used as an input for these building design standards. From a technical perspective, as the map is now more than seven years old, it should be reviewed to ensure that engineering standards and development guidelines remain aligned with the latest risk information,” it added.

The Seismic Hazard Map is also being updated continuously and periodically in collaboration with government agencies such as MetMalaysia, the Public Works Department, Department of Standards Malaysia and academia, to serve as a reference for safe national development.

“In addition, the application of the Seismic Hazard Map is also utilised by JMG when providing technical reviews for proposed developments located in areas along active faults that are exposed to seismic hazard risks resulting from earthquakes,” it said.

The ministry said the Department of Standards Malaysia (JSM) has also developed a Malaysian Standard (MS) related to earthquake-resistant building design.

“This standard provides detailed guidelines for the structural design of buildings to withstand earthquake tremors. The MS EN 1998-1 document has been referenced in the Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL) 1984 (Amendment 2021). However, its enforcement is subject to the respective state governments,” it said.

The ministry was responding to a question by Kamal Ashaari(PN-Kuala Krau) on actions taken in preparation for the increasing frequency of earthquakes, including aspects of preparedness, the need for new building standards, and the measures that have been implemented.

(Reuters) -The death toll from a landslide in western Kenya's Rift Valley has risen to 22, a government spokesperson said on Sunday, following heavy rains on Saturday.

Twenty-nine people were still missing and 21 others were receiving treatment after devastating floods in Elgeyo-Marakwet County, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said in a statement.

Hundreds of people have been killed in recent years in landslides and flooding in Kenya, with scientists saying climate change is causing more intense and frequent extreme weather events.

In the worst incident last year, 61 people were killed in a mudslide and flash floods in central Kenya.

Landslides in the east of neighbouring Uganda have also killed at least 13 people in the last week, according to the Uganda Red Cross.