A FLOOD-preparedness workshop was held at Kampung Chinggung Orang Asli Village in Behrang, Muallim in Perak.

The two-day workshop saw the participation of 37 people, including representatives from seven villages in the constituency and relevant governmental agencies.

The programme was organised by National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), Petronas Foundation, Civil Defence Force, Muallim Land Office, Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) and Global Environment Centre.

Muallim district officer Mohd Sabli Bakri said the programme was held with the aim of empowering the local community and preparing them to face natural disasters.

Kampung Chinggung was among the locations in Perak badly hit by floods in December last year, with about 400 villagers displaced.

Behrang assemblyman Salina Samsudin said it was important for locals, including the Orang Asli community, living near flood-prone areas to know how to respond during such disasters.

“Our constituency has many rivers and low-lying areas, and often faces flash floods.

“It is important to strengthen the resilience of the local community, including the Orang Asli folk, who live near flood-prone areas, so that they can respond before external assistance arrives.”

She said early preparation by all parties was key to being able to help senior folk, people with disabilities, children, babies and bedridden chronic patients in such situations.

She expressed hope that more of such programmes would be held to prepare the people to respond during an emergency situation.

During the workshop, apart from talks on preparing for floods, participants were taught how to prepare a “grab bag” or 72-hour emergency kit, which could save lives in critical moments before help arrived.

Peralihan Tenaga dan Transformasi Air (PETRA) melalui Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (JPS) menyenaraikan dua projek membabitkan kos RM51.5 juta di bawah Rolling Plan Pertama (RP1) Rancangan Malaysia Ke-13 (RMK13) sebagai langkah bagi mengurangkan risiko banjir di Sarawak.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri yang juga Menteri Peralihan Tenaga dan Transformasi Air, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, berkata projek berkenaan adalah pemuliharaan Muara Sungai Kemena, Bahagian Bintulu dan Muara Sungai Trusan di Bahagian Limbang.

“Skop utama projek adalah mendalamkan sungai bagi meningkatkan kapasiti sungai untuk menampung aliran air yang tinggi terutama ketika musim hujan.

“PETRA melalui JPS juga akan mengemukakan permohonan Projek Pemuliharaan Muara Sungai Miri, Bahagian Miri bagi pelaksanaan kerja pengerukan muara sungai dengan anggaran kos RM16.6 juta di bawah RP2 RMK13,” katanya pada sesi soal jawab di Dewan Negara, semalam.

Beliau menjawab pertanyaan Senator Abun Sui Anyit yang ingin mengetahui langkah dan perancangan tebatan banjir untuk mengurangkan keadaan banjir buruk yang semakin menjadi-jadi sehingga menenggelamkan banyak rumah seperti di Sungai Trusan, Sungai Kemena dan Sungai Miri di Sarawak, yang muaranya semakin cetek.

RTB Sungai Miri RM31 juta

Fadillah berkata, PETRA melalui JPS juga sedang melaksanakan projek Rancangan Tebatan Banjir (RTB) Sungai Miri, Lembangan Sungai Miri dengan kos RM31 juta.

“Pelaksanaan projek ini membabitkan kawasan Lutong, Krokop dan Jalan Jee Foh. Setelah siap kelak, projek ini dijangka memberikan perlindungan kepada lebih 5,000 penduduk daripada risiko banjir dan mengurangkan keluasan banjir (sehingga) 600 hektar.

“Kerja fizikal bermula pada Oktober 2023 dan kemajuan terkini di tapak adalah 28.16 peratus dan projek ini dijangka siap pada Januari 2026,” katanya.

Sebagai penyelesaian jangka pendek, beliau berkata JPS melaksanakan kerja-kerja kecil di bawah Projek Pemuliharaan Sungai untuk mengurangkan risiko banjir.

“Peruntukan RM37.8 juta disalurkan untuk Sarawak pada 2022 hingga 2024 bagi melaksanakan 360 sebut harga dengan skop utama seperti kerja-kerja penyaluran sungai, menstabilkan tebing sungai dan menaik taraf saluran serta struktur berkaitan bagi meningkatkan kualiti air sungai.

“Senarai projek pada tahun ini pula sedang dimuktamadkan dan jumlah peruntukan adalah RM13.1 juta,” katanya.

SULTAN of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has expressed concerns over the escalating air pollution in Balok Baru triggered by the massive fire at a coconut plantation near the KuantanSungai Ular bypass here.

The Comptroller of Istana Pahang, Major-General Datuk Mohamed Zahari Yahya, in a statement, said the ruler advised all outdoor activities, especially those involving schoolchildren, to be temporarily suspended due to health concerns.

“Residents living in the affected and surrounding areas, especially those with respiratory conditions, have to be extra careful not to be directly affected by the air pollution,” read the statement.

“The public is cautioned not to conduct any open burning, especially during the current hot weather and windy season.”

On Monday, huge clouds of thick smoke billowing into the sky from the massive blaze saw the nearby Balok Baru area recording an Air Pollution Index reading of 251, which is considered “very unhealthy” by the Department of the Environment.

It was reported that firefighters in the state are attempting to douse the fire at a coconut plantation near the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park, which was caused by the recent heat waves. The fire broke out on Feb 22.

KUANTAN: A massive fire at a coconut plantation near the Kuantan-Sungai Ular bypass here has been raging for more than 10 days, resulting in a devastating impact on fruit trees and significantly reducing air quality in the vicinity.

The fire, which broke out on Feb 22, has, to date, consumed an area measuring a total of 130ha. Of these, the fire in 91ha has been extinguished.

Battling relentless heat and strong winds, firefighters have been working tirelessly to contain the flames that continue to spread at alarming rates. The scorching heat poses a tough challenge for the 70-odd personnel, especially while observing Ramadan.

The media were yesterday transported by four-wheel-drive vehicles provided by the Fire and Rescue Department to the site, about 5km from the operations centre in Gebeng.

The narrow and bumpy road covered with red soil made the ride arduous and some sections were covered with thick smoke. This resulted in zero visibility conditions, forcing the driver to carefully navigate the vehicle to prevent any untoward incident.

Firefighters drenched in sweat were seen spraying water, pumped from a nearby trench, onto the ground to ensure the soil burning beneath the peat surface is properly doused as they try to control the flames from spreading.

The whirring sound from the water pumps fill the area, once covered with lush green coconut trees, as firemen carefully pull the lengthy rubber hoses to ensure it does not come into contact with the burning embers on the ground.

State Fire and Rescue Department director Mohd Razam Taja Rahim said besides firefighters on the ground, the department had deployed a MI-17 helicopter which made 30 trips to drop water buckets holding 1,200l of water each time it took to the skies.

“Besides water bombing, we have utilised the total flooding technique by releasing water from a tanker into the burning site. Once the water fills the trenches, we use the pumps to draw water to put out the blaze in the vicinity.

“Three backhoes and two excavators are used to dig trenches to serve as a fire break to help prevent the flames from spreading.

“We have also applied the direct attack (extinguishing) techniques when there are fresh burning sites.”

Razam said continuous hot weather and strong winds had made their job challenging and hampered efforts to douse the fire.

“We nearly put out the fire on Friday, but windy conditions over the weekend and the constant changing of wind direction at night triggered more areas to be affected and the situation prolonged.

“Besides firemen, the Drainage and Irrigation Department, Public Works Department and Environment Department (DoE) are assisting at the site and we hope to completely douse the fire by the end of this week,” he said.

State DoE director Wandi Yadzid Yaakob said the department had met a representative from the plantation to determine the cause of the fire.

“The fire was not caused by open burning activities. We are working closely with the Fire and Rescue Department to identify the cause of the fire,” he said.

Page 1 pic: An aerial view of the massive fire at a coconut plantation near the KuantanSungai Ular bypass in Balok Baru yesterday.