PORTAL RASMI
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
Ready to ride out storms
- Admin UKK
- Berita
PETALING JAYA: The Fire and Rescue Department will monitor 5,648 flood-prone areas, 254 critical slopes and 201 water surge hotspots nationwide during the northeast monsoon season starting next month.
Its director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said the need for early preparations is even more critical, given the Malaysian Meteorological Department’s (MetMalaysia) forecast of above-average rainfall due to the developing La Nina weather phenomenon.
“Based on our data as of Sept 4, the territories of Sarawak and Sabah have the highest number of flood-risk areas and critical slopes, followed by Pahang, Johor and Kelantan,” he told The Star.
A total of 1,006 flood-prone areas, 21 critical slopes and 19 potential water surge locations were identified in Sarawak, while 798 flood-prone areas, 36 critical slopes and 52 potential water surge locations were found in Sabah.
There are 750 flood-prone areas, 25 critical slopes and three potential water surge locations in Pahang; 745 flood-prone areas, 25 critical slopes and five potential water surge locations in Johor; while Kelantan has 617 flood-prone areas, 25 critical slopes and 18 potential water surge locations.
Earlier this month, MetMalaysia deputy director-general (strategic) Ambun Dindang said the 2024/2025 northeast monsoon will begin in November and continue until March 2025, with an expected four to six episodes of prolonged heavy rainfall during this period.
Heavy rainfall is likely to affect Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang between November and December – with Johor, Sabah, and Sarawak expected to experience increased rainfall from December through January.
MetMalaysia also forecast above-average rainfall of between 20% and 40% for the next six months in several parts of the country.
It said there is a 71% chance for the La Nina weather phenomenon to form between October and November this year, which usually brings about wetter weather conditions, and it is expected to continue until early 2025.
Meanwhile, Nor Hisham said the department has activated preparedness plans, including placing its personnel on standby, due to the uncertain weather conditions brought about by the forthcoming monsoon and La Nina.
He said a total of 24,671 firemen based in 340 Fire and Rescue stations nationwide will be ready to respond in the event of floods or other disasters.
“If the situation demands, the department will freeze or limit leave to between 80% and 100%.
“The work shifts will also be extended from 12 hours to 24 hours to ensure that there will be sufficient personnel to respond to flood emergencies.
“This includes sharing personnel and equipment between states if a particular state is hampered by personnel issues,” he added.
Nor Hisham also said 22 “Red Team” units, comprising a commander and four rescue personnel, will be on rapid emergency deployment within an hour upon receiving orders to respond. He said these teams will be on call around the clock and act swiftly to shorten response time.
Meanwhile, National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) director-general Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus said the agency has also begun to deal with incidents of natural disasters brought about by the weather.
“We are conducting continuous exercises to gauge the level of preparedness of our responders, non-governmental organisations and local communities.
“This includes issuing the necessary guidelines to the relevant government agencies and state governments, including at the community level, on how to handle such disasters,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Khairul Shahril said the focus should not only be on how to tackle floods but also on other natural disasters that often occur due to excessive rainfall and turbulent weather conditions.
“We usually focus on floods, and rightly so because floods can affect a large area with thousands of people.
“But there are also other dangers that we will monitor, such as landslides and water surges, as they can result in loss of lives and property damage,” he added.
ALOR STAR: The number of flood evacuees in Kedah has slightly decreased as conditions improved in Baling district, allowing some 320 evacuees to return home.
As of 4pm, the Kedah Disaster Management Committee Secretariat reported 2,379 victims from 806 families in 20 temporary flood relief centres (PPS) across four districts, down from 2,505 evacuees from 907 families recorded earlier at 8am.
In Baling, the 327 evacuees from 175 families were permitted to return home as all five PPS in the district closed.
However, the situation has worsened in other affected areas.
Kota Setar remains the hardest hit, with 816 evacuees from 257 families currently in six PPS, an increase from 716 evacuees reported earlier.
The number of evacuees in Kubang Pasu has remained steady at 813, involving 320 households taking refuge in nine PPS, up from 311 households in six PPS.
Pendang has seen a slight rise in evacuees, with 339 victims from 86 families now in three PPS, up from 281 evacuees from 72 families.
In Pokok Sena, the number of evacuees increased to 409 victims from 143 families in three PPS, compared to 368 evacuees from 130 families previously.
Meanwhile, the Drainage and Irrigation Department's Public Infobanjir website reported that seven rivers across four districts — Kota Setar, Pendang, Kubang Pasu, and Padang Terap — had breached danger levels, with water levels continuing to rise.
IPOH: Seramai 168 orang daripada 51 buah keluarga masih ditempatkan di tiga pusat pemindahan sementara (PPS) susulan bencana banjir yang berlaku di Perak.
Menurut jurucakap Pengurusan Bencana Daerah pada Rabu, terdapat dua daerah yang terjejas banjir iaitu Kerian dan Hilir Perak.
Katanya, ia merangkumi lapan lokasi membabitkan Kampung Matang Tengah, Kampung Beriai, Kampung Air Itam 2, Kampung Parit Ali Kalang, Kampung Beriah, Kampung Batu 8, Kampung Batu 9 serta Kampung Tengah Ayer Itam.
PPS yang menjadi tempat berlindung pula di SK Changkat Lobak, SK Parit Haji Aman Bagan Serai dan Dewan Serbaguna Padang Tembak.
Jelasnya lagi, mangsa banjir di Kerian sebanyak 128 orang daripada 37 keluarga dan Hilir Perak dengan 40 orang daripada 14 keluarga.
Sementara itu, Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia turut mengeluarkan amaran ribut petir dan hujan lebat pada Rabu yang membabitkan kebanyakan daerah di negeri ini.
Ramalan cuaca negeri Perak pula menunjukkan kebanyakan daerah akan hujan pada sebelah pagi, petang dan malam.
GEORGETOWN: Pulau Pinang dijangka mengalami fenomena air pasang besar antara 18 hingga 21 Oktober ini berdasarkan Jadual Pasang Surut Malaysia 2024, kata Pengarah Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (JPS) negeri, Datuk Mohd Nazri Yasmin.
Mohd Nazri berkata, berdasarkan jadual itu paras air laut pasang tertinggi di perairan Pulau Pinang akan mencecah antara 2.8 hingga 3.1 meter CD (Chart Datum) dan waktu puncak air pasang besar itu adalah antara tengah malam hingga awal pagi.
"Pertembungan hujan lebat dalam tempoh sejam dengan air pasang tinggi akan berisiko tinggi kepada kawasan pinggir pantai dan sungai-sungai utama di Pulau Pinang dan mengikut piawaian JPS negeri, sekiranya jumlah hujan melebihi 60 milimeter (mm) sejam, ia dianggap hujan sangat lebat.
"Jika berlaku hujan lebat ketika air pasang besar berserta ribut, air laut akan melimpahi pantai dan paras air sungai utama akan naik dengan cepat, ini akan membawa kepada risiko banjir," katanya di sini hari ini.
Beliau menasihatkan penduduk yang tinggal berhampiran pantai atau sungai utama supaya berwaspada kerana risiko banjir adalah sangat tinggi jika hujan lebat berlaku ketika air pasang besar terbabit.
Sementara itu, Mohd Nazri berkata, sebagai langkah berjaga-jaga untuk mengelakkan kerosakan harta benda dan kemalangan jiwa, JPS Pulau Pinang telah memasang stesen amaran banjir di kawasan 'hotspot' serta berisiko banjir menerusi Program Ramalan dan Amaran Banjir Negara (PRAB) Fasa 2.
Katanya, sehingga kini sebanyak 54 alat siren amaran banjir dipasang di seluruh negeri itu di mana 30 alat terbabit dipasang di bawah peruntukan kerajaan negeri manakala selebihnya menerusi PRAB oleh kerajaan Pusat.
Beliau berkata, alat itu akan mengeluarkan bunyi amaran kepada penduduk apabila paras air sungai di kawasan berhampiran mencapai tahap berbahaya, membolehkan mereka bersiap sedia untuk berpindah ke lokasi yang lebih selamat.
"Sebanyak 49 alat pemantau paras air sungai dipasang, terdiri daripada 19 alat di bawah kerajaan negeri dan 30 alat di bawah PRAB. Ini bertujuan untuk memantau paras air sungai. Selain itu, terdapat juga 97 stesen pengukur hujan yang dipasang, dengan 53 di bawah kerajaan negeri dan 44 di bawah PRAB," katanya.
RAKAMAN banjir kilat melibatkan beberapa kawasan di Klang tersebar melalui video di media sosial yang menunjukkan air bah di kawasan itu melebihi paras buku lali.
Keadaan itu sekali gus menyebabkan trafik bergerak perlahan hingga air masuk ke dalam kereta serta kediaman penduduk.
Bahkan kejadian itu turut mengakibatkan pokok tumbang dan mengganggu pengguna jalan raya.
Hujan lebat dilaporkan bermula pukul 1.30 tengah hari dan reda kira-kira pukul 3.30 petang.
Rakaman itu dikongsikan dalam satu video di akaun instagram milik Ashton Luke Alexander.
Ia memaparkan air banjir di jalan utama di Taman Sri Andalas sedalam paras buku lali dan setiap kenderaan yang melintasi laluan tersebut mewujudkan pergerakan seperti ombak yang menyebabkan air memasuki kereta orang ramai.
Ketua Penguatkuasa Majlis Bandaraya Klang, Andry Arman Masrom berkata, Pasukan Tindakan Segera (Pantas) yang mengendalikan situasi kecemasan itu mendapati beberapa longkang di kawasan kejiranan melimpahkan air.
“Kawasan yang terjejas akibat banjir ialah Taman Palm Grove, Taman Chi Liung, Taman Bayu Perdana dan sebahagian Taman Chi Liung. Pokok tumbang pula di Pandamaran dan Jalan Penghulu Abu Bakar di Kampung Jawa,” katanya.
Andry memaklumkan petugas telah menggunakan gergaji untuk memotong pokok tumbang di Jalan Penghulu Abu Bakar mengikut saiz dan mengalihkan sisa serpihan yang menghalang sebahagian jalan tersebut.
"Tiada punca yang dilaporkan dalam kejadian itu,” katanya.
Seorang penduduk, Selvaraju Ponnusamy berkata, pemandu kenderaan yang melihat paras air pada paras buku lali itu bertindak membuat beberapa lencongan ke kawasan kejiranan untuk mengelakkan kesesakan lalu lintas.
"Longkang utama di Persiaran Seraya di Taman Chi Liung tidak melimpah," kata Selvaraju.
Sementara itu, melalui video yang dikongsikan KKDevan pula menunjukkan sebahagian Jalan Tengku Kelana di Little India Klang turut dilanda banjir kilat.
Devan berkata, banjir berada di paras tepi jalan dan air tidak mengalir ke kedai.
"Pejalan kaki terpaksa berteduh di laluan yang lebih tinggi di sepanjang kedai untuk mengelak banjir.
"Di lorong Jalan Pulasan dan Lorong Rembau di Little India, air kelihatan mencecah bahagian bawah kereta yang berada di tepi jalan," katanya. — The Star/EDWARD RAJENDRA
