BALING: More than 400 heads of household (KIR) affected by the floods in several areas of the district from Sept 30 to Oct 18 last year has received RM1,000 each in humanitarian aid.

Kedah Federal Development Office director Zepri Saad said all the 414 KIRs had registered or relocated to temporary relief centres when their homes were affected by the disaster.

“This aid was approved by the National Disaster Management Agency. It shows Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s concern to ensure that those affected by the floods receive the necessary assistance,” he told Bernama after distributing the aid at Dewan Kenangan Tun Abdul Razak here yesterday.

He added that the aid is expected to help ease the burden of flood victims during Ramadan and the upcoming Hari Raya.

A flood victim from Kampung Batu 18, Bongor, Halimah Abu Bakar, 69, said she would use the money to purchase necessities for Ramadan and prepare for the upcoming Aidilfitri.

“My husband and I are no longer able to work at our age, and we are both in poor health.

“Our house is frequently flooded. Last year, my house was submerged six times. All the furniture and appliances were damaged, and I could only rely on my children and neighbours to help clean up the house,” she said.

Another recipient, Nur Hidayah Abd Latif, 37, from Kampung Bongor, said she would use the money to make preparations for Aidilfitri.

“During the flood, we didn’t have time to save important items because the water rose suddenly while we were asleep around midnight. We could only save ourselves and family members.

“The aid money we received will allow us to buy things we need for Aidilfitri. As for furniture and other items, we won’t be buying new ones; we will make do with what we have,” she said.

Satu gempa bumi sederhana berukuran 5.1 pada skala Ritcher melanda luar pantai barat Sumatera Utara, Indonesia pada jam 6.22 pagi tadi.

Menurut kenyataan Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia, gempa dengan kedalaman 10 kilometer (km) itu berlaku pada jarak 41km timur dari Sibolga, Indonesia.

Gegaran gempa bumi itu turut dirasai di Perlis, Kedah, Pulau Pinang, Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka dan Johor.

Bagaimanapun, menurut MetMalaysia, tiada ancaman tsunami kepada Malaysia.

- Bernama

KANOWIT (March 18): The Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) in Kanowit is expected to become fully operational at the new district operation control centre (PKOD) by early June, thereby strengthening disaster preparedness and emergency services in the area.

Sibu APM district Officer, Major (PA) Wan Mohd Jabir Wan Mohd Badrudin, stated that the new PKOD would relocate to an existing building in early April, followed by minor renovations scheduled to be completed within one to two months.

“We have had thorough discussions with the Kanowit District Officer and the APM Sarawak director to ensure a smooth transition.

“This new site will serve as a more complete and strategically positioned primary operations centre,” he told The Borneo Post today.

According to him, the new PKOD will not only function as an operations hub but will also house the District Civil Defence Office (PDPA), a training site for APM Sarawak’s Central Zone, and a transit centre for personnel moving between the north and south.

“Although Kanowit is a small district within the Sibu Division, the current PKOD is unable to meet APM’s operational needs, including disaster management.

“With the relocation to a larger new centre, disaster response can be better coordinated, and data, along with disaster information, can be systematically centralised,” he explained.

The new building’s proximity to a river is expected to facilitate search and rescue operations in aquatic environments, thereby enhancing the rapid response capabilities of rescue agencies.

He also noted that APM Sarawak plans to allocate additional assets, logistics, and personnel in Kanowit to strengthen the district’s operational capacity.

Furthermore, APM intends to involve the local community in emergency drills and disaster preparedness training.

“The new office will serve as one of the training sites for APM Sarawak’s Central Zone, enabling local residents to participate in emergency and disaster awareness programmes,” he added.

In the long term, APM also aims to expand its safety initiatives through the ‘Kampung Siaga 221’ programme, which will educate residents of longhouse communities on the basics of civil defence and their role as first responders during emergencies.

“Our hope is that the move to the new location will proceed smoothly and provide maximum benefits to the community, particularly in enhancing disaster and emergency preparedness,” he concluded.

PETALING JAYA – Amaran kategori pertama laut bergelora dan angin kencang dengan ombak mencapai ketinggian 3.5 meter (m) dijangka berlaku di kawasan perairan Johor Timur, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Sarawak, Sabah Barat bermula esok.

Fenomena itu dijangka berlarutan selama tiga hari hingga Jumaat.

Jabatan Meteorologi (MetMalaysia) berkata, angin kencang dan laut bergelora itu berbahaya kepada bot-bot kecil, aktiviti rekreasi dan sukan laut.

MetMalaysia turut mengeluarkan amaran kenaikan paras laut yang berisiko membawa limpahan air laut di pesisir pantai dijangka melanda kawasan perairan Johor Timur, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan dan Sarawak Barat.

Mengenai cuaca terkini, MetMalaysia memaklumkan, ribut petir dan hujan lebat dijangka melanda kawasan perairan Johor Timur, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Sarawak, Sabah Barat, Labuan dan Sabah Timur sehingga 2 petang ini.

“Cuaca buruk ini boleh menyebabkan angin kencang dan laut bergelora dengan ombak mencapai ketinggian 3.5m dan berbahaya kepada bot-bot kecil,” katanya. – KOSMO! ONLINE