Kampung Sanglang surau imam Saniman Abdul Samad holding up ceiling skirting that fell off during the 4.1-magnitude earthquake last Sunday in Segamat. — Bernama pic
In the wake of the recent tremors in Johor, the Fire and Rescue Department has assured the public that it has all the necessary equipment and expertise to be mobilised for any disasters.
Its director-general Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad said that Malaysia had a National Disaster Action Plan, which covered earthquakes.
“This is coordinated under the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), with the department as one of the lead rescue agencies,” he said.
To date, he said the department had not received any distress calls due to the 3.2-magnitude earthquake in Segamat at 8.59am on Aug 27 or the 4.1-magnitude one also in Segamat at 6.13am on Aug 24.
There were also a 2.8-magnitude aftershocks for hours later in Yong Peng.
“Due to the recent tremors, we have placed all our search-and-rescue units on standby nationwide,” he said.
When asked about any tremor-related incidents in Malaysia, Nor Hisham said a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Sabah on June 5 in 2015, resulting in the death of 18 people.
He said they were mostly students and teachers from Singapore’s Tanjong Katong Primary School, who had been on an educational hike.
Massive boulders dislodged by the tremor swept down the mountain, catching climbers off guard and causing widespread destruction.
Nor Hisham said the department has about 655 personnel under its Special Tactical Operation and Rescue of Malaysia (Storm), deployed around the country, who are prepared to handle emergencies.
“All our firemen have also undergone basic training on urban search and rescue (Usar) too,” he said.
He disclosed that the department has five Usar vehicles stationed in Pahang, Selangor, Putrajaya, Penang and Sabah.
“We also have other equipment known as life detectors to help track down people who are trapped under rubble, and cameras to help detect life,” he said, adding that the department also had specialised equipment to cut through steel and concrete to free trapped victims.
Nor Hisham said the department personnel had experience helping in disaster rescue missions overseas, including to Turkiye and Myanmar.
Meanwhile, another 3.4-magnitude earthquake was detected in Segamat at 4.24am yesterday.
According to the Malaysia Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), the quake originated 22km to the northeast of Segamat and 10km underground.
“The tremors were felt in Johor. The department will continue to monitor the situation,” it stated in a Facebook post.
MetMalaysia also requested those who felt the earthquake to fill out their questionnaire at https://forms.gle/nt79XYue2odoATPK7
