KUALA LUMPUR: Semua jentera dan kakitangan berkaitan bagi membantu mangsa banjir sudah dikerah ke Sabah dan Sarawak selepas dua negeri itu mengalami banjir buruk sejak kelmarin.

Ketua Pengarah Agensi Pengurusan Bencana Negara (NADMA), Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus, berkata pihaknya turut menjalinkan kerjasama dengan badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) tempatan bagi membantu mangsa banjir serta memindahkan aset dan bantuan dari kawasan tidak terjejas ke kawasan bencana.

“NADMA sentiasa berkomunikasi rapat dengan semua pihak dan kerajaan negeri melalui Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Negeri yang dipengerusikan oleh Timbalan Premier Sarawak, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

“Kita memang sentiasa bersedia dan membuat persediaan awal selepas arahan dikeluarkan sebelum Monsun Timur Laut (MTL) oleh Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Bencana Pusat.

“Buat masa ini semua jentera sudah dikerahkan dan pergerakan aset di lapangan akan dibuat berdasarkan keperluan semasa,” katanya kepada BH, hari ini.

Semalam, Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mengarahkan pihak berkaitan termasuk NADMA untuk memperkukuh jentera dan koordinasi berikutan situasi banjir di Sabah dan Sarawak yang semakin memburuk.
Anwar berkata, keutamaan ketika ini adalah kebajikan mangsa banjir serta keselamatan penduduk di kawasan terkesan.

Mengikut Info Bencana Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM), setakat jam 12 tengah hari ini sebanyak 7,557 mangsa berada 76 pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) di Sabah dan Sarawak.

Di Sarawak sebanyak enam daerah terbabit banjir membabitkan 2,904 mangsa sementara di Sabah terdapat 10 daerah menghadapi banjir yang kini mempunyai 4,653 mangsa.

SEOUL: Both engines of the Jeju Air plane that crashed last month contained duck remains, according to a preliminary report on Monday, with authorities still trying to determine what caused the deadliest air disaster on South Korean soil.

Although it is rare for such preliminary reports to go beyond factual details, the report gave no indication about what might have led the aircraft to land far down the runway without its landing gear deployed, highlighting the lack of immediate clues after the plane's black boxes stopped recording four minutes before impact.

The six-page report released by South Korean authorities a month after the crash said both engines of the Boeing 737-800 jet contained DNA from Baikal Teals, a type of migratory duck that flies to South Korea for winter in huge flocks.

Experts say air accidents are nearly always caused by a cocktail of factors.

The Jeju Air flight from Bangkok on Dec 29 overshot Muan Airport's runway as it made an emergency belly landing and crashed into an embankment containing navigation equipment, called localisers, killing all but two of the 181 people and crew members on board.

"After the crash into the embankment, fire and a partial explosion occurred. Both engines were buried in the embankment's soil mound, and the fore fuselage scattered up to 30-200 meters from the embankment," the report said, providing some new pictures of the accident site.

The localiser aids navigation of an aircraft making an approach to the runway, and the structure built of reinforced concrete and earth at Muan airport supporting the system's antennae likely contributed to the high death toll, experts have said.

The investigation will dismantle the engines, examine components in depth, analyse in-flight and air traffic control data, and investigate the embankment, localisers and evidence of bird strike, the report said about its next steps.

"These all-out investigation activities aim to determine the accurate cause of the accident," it said.

MAYDAY

The report highlighted much of the initial findings by the South Korean investigators that were shared with victims' families on Saturday, including the pilots' awareness of a flock of birds on the plane's final approach.

The exact time the bird strike was reported by the pilots remains unconfirmed, the accident report said, but the aircraft "made an emergency declaration (Mayday x 3) for a bird strike during a go-around."

Bird strikes that cause damage to both engines are rare, though there have been successful cases of pilots landing without fatalities in such situations including the "Miracle on the Hudson" river landing in the US in 2009 and a cornfield landing in Russia in 2019.

Investigators usually piece together the final moments before a disaster by carefully synchronising voice and data recordings to understand how the crew and airplane interacted.

But these vital clues are not available for the Jeju Air crash because the recorders stopped recording just before the pilots declared the emergency and about four minutes before impact.

The aircraft was at an altitude of 498 feet (152 metres) flying at 161 knots (298km/h or 185 mph) about 1.1 nautical miles (2km or 1.3 miles) from the runway at the moment the flight recorders stopped recording, the report said.

Since 2010 new US-built planes have had to have enough backup power to provide 10 minutes of extra data recording should onboard electrical power fail, following a series of incidents where recorders stopped working.

However, the change came eight months after the 737-800 involved in the Jeju crash appears to have left the Boeing factory, according to data from FlightRadar24.

South Korea's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board has shared its report with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Thailand, and the United States and France, which are the home states for the plane and engine manufacturers, an official said on Monday.

Under global aviation guidelines, investigators issue preliminary reports after 30 days and a final report is expected within a year.

HANOI (VIETNAM NEWS/ANN): Hanoi authorities are under significant pressure to improve air quality, particularly as the city rotates in and out of the top global ranking for air pollution levels, depending on routine measurements of the local environment.

In early January 2025, the air quality index (AQI) in Hanoi indicated severe air pollution, consistently reaching harmful levels, with peaks exceeding 400.

The dense dust fog not only hampers traffic but also exacerbates health issues for residents.On January 7, at about 8 am, air quality monitoring applications ranked Hanoi as the most polluted city in the world, with an AQI of 272, indicating a hazasdous level for human health.

In middle of this month, the AQI in West Lake area topped the pollution charts, with specific readings like To Ngoc Van at 416, Ciputra at 408, Quang Khanh at 372, and Quang Ba at 320.

These are all pollution levels classified as "maroon," which means hazardous to human health. Other areas reported purple AQI levels – very unhealth level - such as Tu Hoa (Tay Ho district) at 256, Le Duan (Hoan Kiem district) at 256, Lo Duc (Hai Ba Trung district) at 270, and Tran Hung Dao (Hoan Kiem district) at 233.

According to data from VN AIR of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and moitruongthudo.vn of the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment, air quality in the capital frequently falls into unhealthy and harmful to sensitive residents, especially from September to March of 2023.

Statistics indicated that during peak pollution periods, the AQI often fluctuates around 200, far exceeding safe levels and posing serious health risks.

The daily and annual average concentrations of particulate matter (PM) 10 and PM2.5 dust in Hanoi exceed the recommended levels by the World Health Organisation.

Local pollution levels of NO2 and O3 have also been recorded.

Fine dust pollution is noted in almost all districts, especially in densely populated urban areas with heavy traffic.Health experts warned that air pollution in Hanoi is not only a short-term threat but also poses long-term risks to public health.

Prolonged exposure to PM2.5 fine dust can lead to severe health issues such as pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, and lung cancer. Additionally, fine dust can impair cardiovascular function, increasing the risk of stroke and vascular diseases.

Moreover, air pollution affects labour productivity and the quality of life of residents. Outdoor activities are restricted, and traffic is challenging due to reduced visibility.

Furthermore, respiratory-related illnesses increase healthcare costs, creating a financial burden for individuals and society.

Challenges in urbanisation

Hanoi is one of the most populous and rapidly developing cities in Vietnam, with over 8 million residents and millions of vehicles on the road daily.

Among these, transport is the largest source of fine dust emissions, accounting for 50-70% of total PM2.5 emissions. Old vehicles that do not meet emission standards are still commonly used, increasing toxic emissions.

Additionally, the city faces emissions from more than 17 industrial zones, around 1,300 craft villages, and spontaneous waste burning in suburban areas.

The consumption of fossil fuels, such as gasoline and coal, along with the use of traditional coal stoves and burning agricultural by-products, also contributes to the rising levels of air pollution.

Nguyen Minh Tan, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said that the lack of coordinated urban planning and insufficient environmental protection measures during infrastructure development, as well as uncontrolled construction activities, are significant sources of fine dust that severely affect air quality in urban areas.

Although Hanoi has begun to inventory emission sources, the slow implementation of solutions has resulted in persistent high pollution levels.

Key solutions

Integrated solutions, such as controlling emission sources, developing green transport, establishing low-emission zones, and raising community awareness, are crucial steps to improve air quality, according to experts.

According to the Air Quality Management Plan until 2030, Hanoi aims to reduce total PM2.5 emissions by 20% compared to 2019, equivalent to a reduction of 6,200 tonnes of fine dust. One of the key solutions is to implement an automatic monitoring system to track and supervise air quality.

Data from this system will help authorities identify the root causes of pollution and develop effective mitigation measures.

Nguyen Trong Dong, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, said that the city requires a complete resolution of straw and waste burning in suburban areas, while also enhancing traffic management by rerouting and regulating traffic at congestion points.

The implementation of low-emission zones (LEZ) starting in 2025 is considered a breakthrough step to limit the circulation of non-compliant vehicles in urban areas.

Furthermore, the city is researching and seeking input to refine policies supporting clean energy buses, expanding the elevated railway system, and developing modern public transport projects.Developing green transport is a long-term solution to address air pollution, Dong emphasised.

INDONESIA: Darurat bencana diisytiharkan di Mamuju, Sulawesi Barat susulan kejadian tanah runtuh yang mengorbankan empat nyawa termasuk seorang bayi perempuan berusia sebulan.

“Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah (BPBD) Wilayah Sulbar dengan kerjasama BPBD Mamuju dan Polis Sulbar telah bergerak ke lokasi kejadian tanah runtuh untuk memberikan bantuan menangani bencana,” kata Pemangku Gabenor Sulbar, Bahtiar Baharuddin di Mamuju, Isnin.

Beliau turut menyampaikan rasa dukacita di atas tragedi yang mengorbankan empat nyawa, mencederakan empat orang lain dan menyebabkan dua rumah penduduk tertimbus di Lingkungan Tamasapi, Mamunyu, Mamuju

Kerajaan Wilayah Sulbar telah menetapkan darurat dan segera melaksanakan langkah-langkah menangani bencana termasuk menyiapkan bantuan logistik bagi penduduk yang terjejas dengan berkoordinasi bersama pihak berkuasa tempatan Mamuju.

“Jentera berat akan segera dihantar ke lokasi untuk membersihkan tanah runtuh dan pokok tumbang yang menghalang laluan, serta membantu penduduk mengalihkan timbunan tanah dari rumah mereka, agar penduduk tidak terpinggir dan dapat kembali menjalani aktiviti harian,” katanya.

Beliau juga mengingatkan masyarakat agar sentiasa berwaspada kerana seluruh wilayah Sulawesi Barat adalah kawasan berisiko tinggi bencana, terutamanya tanah runtuh, lebih-lebih lagi musim hujan telah bermula.

Bencana tanah runtuh di Lingkungan Tamasapi berlaku pada 26 Januari 2025, pukul 23.15 WITA, pada malam Ahad.

Kejadian berpunca daripada hujan lebat selama hampir lapan jam, bermula pukul 15.30 WITA (26/1). – ANTARANEWS