KOTA BHARU, May 17 — Peatlands in Kelantan, which serve as natural water catchment areas, are increasingly threatened by open burning and land clearing for agricultural activities, raising concerns over a higher risk of flash floods in several parts of the state.

State Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director Farhan Sufyan Borhan said peatlands play a crucial role in storing water naturally due to their ability to absorb large volumes of water during heavy rainfall.

He described peatlands as a giant sponge that helps regulate water levels and reduce overflow into drainage systems and rivers.

“If peatlands are cleared for agriculture or affected by open burning, their capacity to absorb water will decline, causing water to flow directly into drainage systems and rivers.

“That is why many flood incidents in Bachok are flash floods,” he told Bernama recently.

Farhan Sufyan said Kelantan has about 7,692 hectares of peatland, significantly smaller than Terengganu, which has more than 60,000 hectares.

He said most peatland areas in Kelantan are located in Bachok, Pasir Puteh and Pasir Mas, which are also identified as high-risk areas for open burning during the dry season.

He added that peatland fires are particularly difficult to extinguish because they spread beneath the ground surface and require lengthy firefighting operations.

“We once took up to 10 days to extinguish a peatland fire,” he said.

According to him, open burning in peatland areas is mainly believed to be carried out for land clearing and agricultural purposes.

He said the practice not only harms the environment but can also cause significant losses to farmers when fires spread to crops such as oil palm and pineapples.

“Oil palm trees take years to produce yields, while pineapples also require a long period before they can be harvested. When fires occur, the losses can be substantial,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said smoke from peatland fires is more severe and could affect air quality, although monitoring remains challenging as Kelantan only has two Air Pollutant Index (API) monitoring stations, located in Kota Bharu and Tanah Merah.

He expressed hope that more API monitoring stations would be placed in fire hotspot areas to strengthen air quality monitoring efforts.

Farhan Sufyan also reminded the public not to carry out open burning during the dry season, warning that such actions could have serious consequences for the environment and public safety. — Bernama

PONTIAN – Seramai 102 mangsa daripada 29 keluarga dari Kampung Penerok di sini, berlindung di Pusat Pemindahan Sementara (PPS) Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Penerok susulan hujan lebat sejak petang semalam.

Difahamkan, cuaca pada pukul 3.30 petang itu menyebabkan air naik hingga paras lutut dan menjejaskan kediaman penduduk di kampung tersebut.

Seorang ibu tunggal, Rugayah Yaman, 63, berkata, dia bersama empat anak berpindah ke PPS tersebut selepas seluruh kediamannya termasuk bilik, dapur dan tandas ditenggelami air.

“Setiap tahun memang teruk kami dilanda banjir, tiga atau empat kali. Banyak perabot, peti sejuk, televisyen rosak dan tidak dapat digunakan lagi selepas banjir,” katanya ketika ditemui Kosmo! di PPS SK Penerok hari ini.

Seorang lagi penduduk, Kintan Abd Rahim, 67, berkata, dia seperti sudah lali apabila hampir setiap tahun rumah yang didiami bersama anak perempuan berusia 29 tahun dilanda banjir.

“Nanti sekali lagi mungkin Disember nanti kita akan daftar masuk ‘hotel’ PPS pada musim tengkujuh seperti tahun lalu,” ujarnya.

Sementara itu, Murniati Baharom, 57, pula berkata, dia berpindah ke PPS tersebut dengan bantuan ambulans kerana kedua-dua kaki suaminya, Haron Muan@Menok, 66, dipotong. – KOSMO! ONLINE

PUTRAJAYA, May 17 — Malaysia Civil Defence Force (APM) personnel have been urged to remain prepared for any eventualities during the current South-west Monsoon phase.

APM chief commissioner Mohammad Abiddin Abd Rahman said they must remain adaptive and proactive by leveraging their training and experience to ensure a swift response when needed.

“I am confident that various preparatory measures have been taken by all APM personnel, including conducting a range of training programmes for members and local communities to reduce disaster risks to lives and property,” he said.

He said this while speaking at the Federal Territories (FT) APM assembly here today, which was also attended by FT Civil Defence director Mohd Rosman Abdullah.

The Southwest Monsoon is reported to have begun on May 14 and is expected to continue until September, following the onset of consistent winds blowing from the southwest towards the region.

Recently, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) director-general Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip reportedly said that during this period, lower humidity levels typically result in reduced cloud formation in most areas.

This condition will lead to lower rainfall distribution across the country compared to other periods, with more dry days than rainy days.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Abiddin Abd Rahman urged APM personnel to remain resilient and committed in carrying out their responsibilities and daily duties in service of religion, nation and country.

“I also hope that we will continue to enhance our skills and knowledge, while strengthening our integrity and team spirit. We are not merely a rescue force, but also a pillar of national resilience trusted by the people,” he said. — Bernama

JAKARTA, May 17 — Indonesian authorities have advised the public to stay away from high-risk areas around Mount Semeru after the volcano erupted several times over the weekend.

The volcano erupted three times on Sunday morning with ash columns reaching 700 metres above the summit.

On Saturday it erupted twice within about 90 minutes, with the highest ash column rising up to 1,000 metres into the sky, according to Antara news agency citing Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG).

It urged public not to carry out any activities within 13 kilometres southeast of the summit along Besuk Kobokan, a river channel that is prone to lava flows and hot clouds.

Residents and visitors were also prohibited from activities within a five-kilometre radius of the crater due to the risk of incandescent rock ejections. — Bernama