GUA MUSANG: Seramai 14 penduduk Orang Asli daripada dua keluarga di Kampung Kuala Wook di sini, berdepan risiko keselamatan selepas tebing di sekitar kediaman mereka terhakis sejak lebih dua minggu lepas yang mungkin boleh mengakibatkan tanah runtuh.

Penduduk suku Temiar, Hairi Pandak, 29, berkata, hakisan tanah bermula pada 24 Mei lepas susulan hujan lebat berterusan, menyebabkan paras air sungai meningkat dan arus deras.

"Kira-kira 8 malam, saya perasan tebing berhampiran rumah mula terhakis dan sebahagiannya runtuh. Beberapa pokok pisang dan ubi kayu yang ditanam turut rosak," katanya kepada pemberita di Kampung Kuala Wook di sini hari ini.

Seorang lagi penduduk, Salmah Awang, 55, berkata, hakisan tanah semakin membimbangkan kerana struktur tanah di tepi rumah yang didiami lebih 10 tahun itu terjejas akibat arus sungai yang deras.

Menurut KKM, subvarian baharu itu tidak berbahaya berbanding varian-varian pada awal kemunculan Covid-19.

“Walaupun kebelakangan ini terdapat peningkatan kes Covid-19 dalam komuniti, purata kes mingguan kekal di bawah paras amaran kebangsaan dan setakat ini tiada kematian dilaporkan,” katanya dalam kenyataan, lapor Bernama.

PUTRAJAYA: The Southwest Monsoon (MBD), which began on May 10 and is expected to last until September, is not likely to bring extreme dry weather, as the current El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) pattern remains in a neutral phase, said National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) director-general Datuk Abdul Halim Hamzah.

He said that as a result, the impact of droughts typically associated with MBD is expected to be less severe this year compared to last year.

“Although the MBD typically brings drier weather to Peninsular Malaysia, the neutral ENSO status means that severe droughts, often associated with El Niño, are less likely to occur.

“In short, the neutral status of ENSO means we can expect more ‘normal’ monsoon without the extreme effects of El Niño or La Niña, which is expected to continue until October,“ he said today during an engagement session with the media regarding the government’s preparations for MBD, here.

However, Abdul Halim noted that hot weather conditions can still pose health risks, lead to water supply shortages, forest and bushfires, as well as haze, adding that if prolonged, they may also affect agricultural yields.

He said the key characteristics of MBD include low rainfall over Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak, more dry days across most states, and the formation of squall lines (clusters of active thunderstorm clouds that form over the sea and move inland) typically in the mornings along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and western Sabah.

“Local and transboundary haze incidents may also occur if forest fires are not brought under control,“ he said, adding that NADMA, together with the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Department of Environment (DOE) and the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia), is fully prepared in terms of logistics and manpower to face the impacts of the Southwest Monsoon.

On water resource management and hydrological drought (shortage of water in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, or groundwater), he said forecasts related to drought, including dam storage and river flow rates, indicate that most major dams and river water remain at normal levels with only the Malut Dam in Kedah is at alert status with a storage level of 37.6 per cent as of May 27.

“Tomorrow, we will hold a coordination meeting on cloud seeding operations in Kedah, specifically for the Bukit Malut Dam issue, as a proactive measure. We will not wait until the dam runs dry to carry out the operation,“ he said.

He said JBPM had been appointed as the coordinating agency to handle complaints related to open burning to avoid overlapping actions and ensure swift and accurate responses, noting that in the first five months of this year, JBPM responded to 3,791 open burning cases, with the highest number of incidents recorded in five states: Kedah (547), Johor (468), Terengganu (384), Selangor (368), and Perak (357).

Abdul Halim said between Jan 1 and May 19, DOE identified 125 hotspots across Malaysia and investigated 2,391 open burning cases, issued 34 compounds, and brought 16 cases to court.

Meanwhile, MET Malaysia’s deputy director-general of operations, Ambun Dindang, said the highest temperatures, between 36 and 37 degrees Celsius, are expected in July and August, with the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia and inland areas likely to experience hotter weather compared to most locations.

Established in 2015, NADMA is responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing policies and strategies related to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.

The agency also serves as the country’s central reference point for managing various types of disasters, including floods, haze, earthquakes, and pandemics, through close collaboration with multiple government agencies, local authorities, non-governmental organisations, and local communities.

Putrajaya: Masyarakat tidak perlu bimbang dengan penularan subvarian baharu Covid-19, JN.1, kerana ia tidak berbahaya berbanding varian pada awal kemunculan wabak itu, menurut Kementerian Kesihatan (KKM).

Dalam kenyataan hari ini, KKM memaklumkan meskipun terdapat peningkatan kes Covid-19 dalam komuniti sejak kebelakangan ini, purata kes mingguan masih kekal di bawah paras amaran kebangsaan dan tiada kematian dilaporkan setakat ini.

"Situasi ini selaras dengan peralihan fasa hidup bersama Covid-19. Jangkitan juga dapat dikawal sekiranya tahap imunisasi dalam tubuh berada pada tahap optimum," menurut kenyataan itu.

Sehubungan itu, golongan berisiko tinggi digalakkan mendapatkan suntikan dos tambahan vaksin Covid-19 bagi mengurangkan risiko jangkitan, komplikasi serius dan kematian akibat wabak berkenaan.