NEW YORK: Salji tebal melanda pusat bandar Rochester, New York semalam berikutan ribut musim sejuk yang kuat melanda sebahagian kawasan Midwest dan Timur Amerika Syarikat (AS), sekali gus menjejaskan aktiviti harian dan operasi perniagaan.

Gabenor New York, Kathy Hochul, mengisytiharkan darurat di seluruh negeri sebagai langkah berjaga-jaga terhadap keadaan yang dijangka semakin buruk.

Hochul berkata, keutamaan kerajaan negeri adalah keselamatan rakyat New York dan menggesa orang ramai supaya mengelak perjalanan yang tidak perlu serta mematuhi arahan pihak berkuasa.

Dalam pada itu, media tempatan melaporkan sehingga 31.5 sentimeter salji dijangka turun sepanjang minggu di kawasan barat dan tengah New York.

Keadaan itu berpotensi menyebabkan gangguan bekalan elektrik, penutupan jalan raya serta kelewatan penerbangan di lapangan terbang utama.

Sementara itu, pihak berkuasa tempatan menasihatkan penduduk supaya bersiap sedia dengan bekalan makanan, air dan sumber tenaga alternatif sekiranya berlaku gangguan bekalan elektrik.

KUALA LUMPUR: Gempa bumi sederhana bermagnitud 5.5 melanda kawasan Kepulauan Ryukyu, Jepun, petang ini.

Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia (METMalaysia) dalam kenyataan memaklumkan, gempa bumi itu dilaporkan berlaku pada jam 4.12 petang.

Kejadian berpusat pada koordinat 27.6 darjah utara dan 128.7 darjah timur, dengan kedalaman 10 kilometer (km).

Gempa bumi itu berlaku pada jarak 184 kilometer timur laut dari Naha, Jepun.

METMalaysia bagaimanapun memaklumkan, tiada ancaman tsunami kepada Malaysia susulan gempa bumi berkenaan. – UTUSAN

KUALA LUMPUR: The flood situation in Melaka, Pahang and Johor has not changed much overnight, with the number of evacuees at temporary relief centres increasing slightly to 292 on Tuesday (Dec 30) morning from 256 victims the night before.

In MELAKA, the state disaster management committee announced a slight increase in the number of evacuees to 36 people (eight families) from 34 the previous night, all housed at SK Parit Penghulu.

In JOHOR, the number of victims dropped by one to 172 (58 families) in seven relief centres in Segamat, from 173 the day before.

State disaster management committee chairman Datuk Asman Shah Abd Rahman said Sungai Muar had exceeded the danger level at two locations, Buloh Kasap with a reading of 8.89m and Jeti Sungai Tekam with 4.13m, both showing an upward trend.

Meanwhile, Jalan Felda Tenggaroh 3 in Mersing remains closed to all vehicles following a slope collapse. – Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — The flood situation in Melaka, Pahang and Johor has not changed much with the number of victims still at the state’s temporary evacuation centres (PPS) increasing slightly to 292 victims this morning, compared to 256 victims last night.

In Melaka, the Melaka State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat (JPBN) in a statement announced that the number of victims had increased slightly to 36 people from eight families compared to 34 people last night, who were placed at the Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Parit Penghulu PPS.

According to InfoBencana from the Social Welfare Department (JKM), a similar situation was reported in Pahang, when the number of flood victims in Rompin increased slightly to 84 victims from 23 families, compared to 49 victims from 13 families last night with the victims placed at the Kampung Setajam PPS.

In Johor, a different situation was recorded with the number of victims evacuated slightly decreasing to 172 people from 58 families in seven PPS in Segamat, compared to 173 people recorded yesterday.

State JPBN chairman Datuk Asman Shah Abd Rahman in a statement announced that two rivers in Segamat have also exceeded the danger level, namely Sungai Muar in Buloh Kasap with a reading of 8.89 metres (m) and Jeti Sungai Tekam (4.13m), with an upward trend. 

Meanwhile, one road is still completely closed to all types of vehicles, namely Felda Tenggaroh 3, Mersing following a slope collapse. — Bernama