Volunteer for Heron Watch: training registration closes 8 Dec
Celebrating Singapore Shores!
16 Dec (Sat): "Unsure of what lives in our murky waters?" - a talk by Our Singapore Reefs
Celebrating Singapore Shores!
24 Dec (Sun): Christmas Paddle to St John's Island with Kayakasia
Celebrating Singapore Shores!
Wildlife rescue group Acres receives four to five reports a week of bats getting stranded in housing estates
Ang Tian Tian The New Paper 1 Dec 17;
Ms Tan Yilin has moved three times - from Yishun to Yio Chua Kang then to Sembawang - and each time, bats have flown into her home.
The make-up artist, 24, said: "I usually try to steer the bats to the window or balcony so they can fly out."
Last Saturday, she found a bat nestled underneath a patio umbrella on her balcony. She clapped her hands loudly to scare it off.
She said: "I am used to the bats by now."
Bats flying into homes is a common occurrence in Singapore.
On average, wildlife rescue group Acres receives four to five reports a week of bats flying into homes or getting stranded elsewhere in housing estates, at void decks or covered walkways.
Acres deputy chief executive Kalai Vanan Balakrishnan, 31, told The New Paper that highly urbanised landscapes and green spaces like rooftop gardens have given rise to such cases.
According to Dr Benjamin Lee, director of the National Parks Board (NParks), there are at least 25 species of bats in Singapore that roost in natural and man-made habitats.
These habitats range from fallen logs, trees and bamboo hollows to the underside of bridges, culverts, buildings and abandoned bunkers.
Mr Kalai said the two species that commonly roost in housing estates are the lesser dog-faced fruit bat and insectivorous whiskered bat.
These nocturnal creatures usually fly into homes at night and are discovered in the day.
They may climb onto furniture and curtains or get stranded on the ground because they cannot take off from there.
Bats are also found in places with fruit trees.
Mr Lim Keng Tiong, 75, told TNP that more than 10 bats fly around the Punggol Coral resident's committee garden at night.
The volunteer, who grows more than five types of fruit trees in the garden, said the bats feed on the fruits.
Mr Lim said: "There is nothing much I can do about it. At least they are not dangerous."
At the Halia restaurant in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, bats add to the experience.
Restaurant manager Mae Paguirigan, 31, said: "Once or twice a month, a few fruit bats fly into the restaurant, but customers are okay with it."
If you find a bat at home and do not know how to handle it, call the 24-hour Acres hotline at 9783-7782.
What to do when a bat is indoors
INDOORS
According to a spokesman from Acres, a bat found indoors is usually disorientated and has problems escaping.
Do not handle the bat with your bare hands. If you must, gather the bat up with a towel. Even though bats are not aggressive, they may bite in self-defence. If bitten, seek medical consultation.
Turn off all interior lights and open all windows and doors leading outdoors.
If a bat is unable to escape, wait for the bat to land and cover it with a box. Gently ease the bat into the box and release it outdoors at night.
OUTDOORS
When releasing a bat outdoors, wait till nightfall to release the bat as they are nocturnal animals.
Some bats cannot take off from the ground. If the bat is in a box, hold the box aloft and tilt gently to the side. Or hold the box against a tree branch until the bat clings onto the bark.
- ANG TIAN TIAN
Channel NewsAsia 30 Nov 17;
SINGAPORE: National water agency PUB will spend S$500 million over the next two to three years to upgrade existing drains, so as to better cope with more intense storms in Singapore.
Upgrading works for drains and canals at 16 locations will also start next year, PUB said in a media release on Thursday (Nov 30).
“With climate change, we expect more intense storms to occur more frequently in Singapore," said Mr Ridzuan Ismail, PUB’s director of catchment and waterways.
He added that PUB would continue to tackle this by deepening and widening drains.
"However, due to competing demands for land use, there is a limit to this measure," he said.
A more "sustainable approach" would be to manage stormwater where it falls and at areas where stormwater could flow to, by putting in place measures to slow runoff into public drains and protect developments from floods, he added.
The Government has invested about S$1.2 billion on drainage improvement works since 2011.
Since 2012, drainage improvement works have been completed at 325 locations, while drains and canals at another 75 locations are undergoing expansion, said PUB.
Works at these 75 locations are expected to be completed over the next two to three years, and include enhancements at Bedok Canal, Kallang River and Sungei Pandan Kechil.
Works on the Stamford Diversion Canal which - together with the Stamford Detention Tank - is meant to alleviate flooding in an area which includes the Orchard Road shopping belt, will be completed by the third quarter of 2018, said PUB.
In addition, expansion of the Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal, a 3.2km canal running from Bukit Timah Road near Maple Avenue to Clementi Road, will be completed by the end of next year.
It will enhance flood protection for the Upper Bukit Timah catchment area including Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Beauty World Plaza and Sime Darby Centre.
“These drainage projects will reduce flood risks but in more extreme storms, floods may still occur," said Mr Ridzuan.
He said that PUB will update the public on flood situations through its social media accounts and mobile app MyWaters.
Source: CNA/kc
S$500 million to be pumped into upgrading drains over the next 3 years: PUB
LOUISA TANG Today Online 30 Nov 17;
SINGAPORE — As part of ongoing efforts to shore up defences against floods due to increasingly frequent extreme weather conditions, the Government plans to spend S$500 million over the next three years to improve drainage across the island. Canals and drains at 16 locations will be upgraded next year.
National water agency PUB said in a press statement on Thursday (Nov 30) that this “continual drainage improvement is part of PUB’s strategy to enhance Singapore’s ability to cope with higher-intensity storms”.
Mr Ridzuan Ismail, PUB’s director of catchment and waterways, explained that with climate change, more intense storms can be expected to occur more frequently in Singapore.
The Meteorological Service Singapore told TODAY that rainfall statistics “show an increasing trend in (the) frequency of heavy rainfall events over Singapore”. There has been almost one more day of very heavy rainfall — with maximum hourly rainfall exceeding 70mm — per decade since 1980, it added.
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Flash floods have occurred on 14 days this year so far, compared to 10 last year and six in 2015.
In managing floods, Mr Rizuan said that a more sustainable approach is needed, because deepening and widening drains would take a toll on Singapore’s limited land use.
Apart from PUB’s efforts, property developers can also do their part by making sure measures are in place to slow down rainwater run-off into public drains and to protect developments from floods, he added.
These could be “source” measures to manage rainwater where it falls, for example, by having detention tanks to collect the water at buildings, as well as “receptor” measures at the areas receiving rainwater flow, for example, by installing barriers at flood-prone areas.
ONGOING WORKS
Since 2011, the Government has invested some S$1.2 billion on drainage improvement works. PUB has also completed drainage improvement works at 325 locations to increase the capacity of drains and canals from 2012.
At present, drains and canals at another 75 locations, including the Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal, are undergoing expansion. These improvement works will be completed over the next three years.
The expansion of the 3.2km-long Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal — which runs from Bukit Timah Road near Maple Avenue to Clementi Road — has been carried out in three phases. The first phase was completed last year, while the second phase will be done by the first quarter of next year.
The canal was expected to be ready by 2016, but several challenges cropped up. Mr Simon Chin, PUB’s principal engineer of catchment and waterways, told reporters on Thursday (Nov 30) that the difficult terrain, hard rocks in the ground, and a redesign of the original plans for the drains delayed the works.
As the canal is located on hilly terrain, works had to be progressively carried out. More time was also needed to remove existing rock in the ground and stabilise the slopes, he added.
When fully completed by the end of 2018, the canal will be able to take up to 30 per cent more rainwater.
This will enhance flood protection for the Upper Bukit Timah catchment, which covers areas such as Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Beauty World Plaza, Bukit Timah Shopping Centre and Sime Darby Centre. In 2009, the overflowing of rainwater from the canal caused major traffic congestion, as well as flooding that reached knee level.
Other major upgrading works are being carried out at Sungei Pandan Kechil, Bedok Canal and Kallang River.
Works on the Stamford Diversion Canal will also be done by the third quarter of next year. The Stamford Diversion Canal and Stamford Detention Tank will alleviate flooding in the Stamford Canal catchment, which covers the Orchard Road shopping belt.
The detention tank to collect and store water from storms will be ready by the second quarter of next year, with PUB testing the pumps next month.
Mr Rizuan said: “These drainage projects will reduce flood risks but in more extreme storms, floods may still occur. We will do our best to update the public on flood situations through various channels such as the PUB Facebook page and Twitter, as well as our mobile app MyWaters.”
To report incidents of flooding, members of the public may call PUB’s 24-hour call centre at 1800-2255-782.
New Straits Times 30 Nov 17;
KUALA LUMPUR: Efforts are being made to restore forests across Peninsular Malaysia, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Natural Resources and Environment Deputy Minister Datuk Ir Hamim Samuri said the Forestry Department has implemented measures to curb deforestation caused by over-exploitation.
"Among the measures implemented is the 'Pemulihan Kawasan Hutan Terosot' (Dwindling Forest Restoration) programme.
"The programme has been designed to ensure the conservation of permanent forest reserve areas in Peninsular Malaysia.
"Under the 10th Malaysia Plan (2011-2015), 4,477 hectares of degraded forest land in forest reserves had been replanted with various species of trees.
"In the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016-2020), RM100 million has been approved to rehabilitate 1,640 hectares of permanent forest reserves and fringe areas," he said in reply to a question from Datuk Ahmad Nazlan Idris (BN-Jerantut) during the Minister's Question and Answer (MQT) session.
The deputy minister added that the allocation is also used to finance research and development, assistance to non-governmental organisations and awareness-raising programs.
In Malaysia, trees are logged for their high economic value.
Non-sustainable forest opening or development has led to environmental problems, namely soil erosion, landslides and flooding.
The major causes of the decline in forest area and quality include commercial logging, agricultural development, dams and resettlement.
In 2015, Malaysia’s forest area is 22,195,100ha or 67.6% (more than two-thirds) of the land area according to the Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) report.
In comparison, the coverage area was 21,591,000ha in 2000.
The forest area has also risen by 14,000ha per year between 2010 and 2015.
Reporting by FERNANDO FONG, VEENA BABULAL and ARFA YUNUS
Bambang Muryanto The Jakarta Post 30 Nov 17;
Yogyakarta Governor Hamengkubuwono has declared a state of emergency following several days of flooding, landslides and strong winds that have claimed five lives. The status will be in place until Jan. 30.
“Emergency funds will be disbursed to assist evacuees,” the governor said during a visit to residential areas affected by landslides in Tegal Panggung subdistrict, Yogyakarta, on Thursday.
The province was hit with stormy weather earlier this week following the formation of a tropical cyclone on the southern coast of Java.
Meanwhile, Yogyakarta Mayor Haryadi Suyuti said the municipality had allocated Rp 2 billion (US$ 140,000) to provide aid to evacuees.
The cyclone has caused landslides and flooding in Yogyakarta city, Sleman, Bantul, Gunungkidul and Kulon Progo regencies. (rin)
Yogyakarta declares emergency alert status following natural disasters
Antara 29 Nov 17;
Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - The Yogyakarta Special Autonomous Provincial Administration has declared an emergency alert status following natural disasters, such as floods, landslides, and whirlwinds, that hit the region.
The National Meteorological, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency had reported that extreme weather will continue for three days, but Yogyakarta has declared an emergency status for a week, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, the governor of Yogyakarta, stated here, Wednesday.
The decision to declare the emergency status was taken during a coordination meeting on disaster mitigation attended by officials of the Yogyakarta disaster mitigation office.
By declaring the emergency status, district and provincial authorities could use the reserve funds for disaster mitigation efforts.
Krido Suprayitno, head of the Yogyakarta disaster mitigation office, noted that the extreme weather was triggered by the Cempaka tropical cyclone.
The Yogyakarta finance office has allocated Rp14 billion for disaster mitigation efforts.
According to data from Yogyakarta city`s disaster mitigation office, landslides hit nine locations and whirlwinds also affected nine locations, claiming the lives of three residents.
In Bantul District, whirlwinds struck 67 locations, landslides occurred in 45 sites, and floods ravaged 31 locations, affecting 4,756 people and claiming one life.
In Kulon Progo, 20 locations were hit by whirlwinds, 27 by landslides, and six by floods, affecting 58 people, injuring three, and leading to two others going missing.
In Gunung Kidul District, one person died, two were injured, and 3,276 others affected by whirlwinds, landslides, and floods.
In Sleman District, 214 people were affected by hydrological disasters that frequently occurred during the rainy season.
Reported by Luqman Hakim
(f001/INE)
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/B/H-YH)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
4 die as extreme weather hits Wonogiri
Ganug Nugroho Adi The Jakarta Post 30 Nov 17;
Four people died amid flooding and landslides in Tirtomoyo and Manyaran districts in Wonogiri, Central Java, on Wednesday.
Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) personnel and search and rescue (SAR) volunteers have recovered the bodies of the victims. “Two victims were found in Tirtomoyo while two others were discovered in Manyaran,” SAR Wonogiri operations division head Ashari Mursito Wisnu told The Jakarta Post.
Two victims identified as Aditya, 15, and Painem, 56, died after they were dragged by floodwaters that swept Batusari village, Manyaran. Two victims buried by a landslide have yet to be identified.
Separately, BPBD Wonogiri head Bambang Haryanto said around 2,000 Wonogiri residents across 14 districts were forced to leave their homes as high intensity rains hit the area from Tuesday morning until Wednesday, causing several rivers to overflow and inundate their surrounding areas.
“Fourteen of 18 districts in Wonogiri were hit by flooding,” Bambang said.
On Tuesday, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) urged people, especially those in Java, to be on alert over the potential of extreme natural events in the next three days related to a tropical cyclone called Cempaka, which had formed on the south coast of Java on Monday.
BMKG head Mulyono Rahadi Prabowo said on Tuesday that the cyclone would bring heavy rains in most areas of Java, especially south Banten, southwest Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java and Bali.(hol/ebf)
Thousands of Gunung Kidul residents evacuate following floods
Antara 30 Nov 17;
Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Flooding in the Gunung Kidul District of Yogyakarta Province has forced thousands of people to temporarily shift to evacuation shelters.
"According to the preliminary data, the count of evacuees reaches 2,911 people. The figure can increase, as the disaster is still occurring," Executive Head of the Gunung Kidul Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency Ruti Sulastri noted here on Thursday.
Joint mitigation officers also evacuated several people after some houses were damaged due to the landslide and flooding.
The evacuees also stayed at their relatives` houses and the village hall office.
The evacuation shelters are located in a total of 14 areas.
Sub-districts, such as Nglipar, Semanu, Gedangsari, and Patuk, have suffered the worst brunt of the disaster.
The largest number of evacuees has been reported in the sub-districts of Nglipar and Semanu.
Sulastri said the Gunung Kidul administration has issued an official statement on the disaster emergency status from Nov 28 to Dec 8.
"We are still calculating the total damage caused to residences and road infrastructure," she added.
Meanwhile, Deputy District Head of Gunung Kidul Immawan Wahyudi said the administration is still gathering information on the damaged infrastructure that can be repaired immediately.
The administration has prioritized key infrastructure to be repaired, including road access.
Bad weather occurred in the southern area of Java Island due to the Cempaka tropical cyclone forming in the southern waters of Java Sea.
Heavy rains and strong winds occurred in the southern areas in West Java Province, Central Java Province, Yogyakarta, and East Java, thereby causing floods.
(Uu.B019/INE)
(UU.B019/B/KR-BSR/F001)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Indonesia braces itself for floods, as heavy rains continue
Straits Times 30 Nov 17;
JAKARTA (THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The Indonesian government has strengthened measures to deal with the potential hazards of floods and landslides as the nation braces for heavy rainfall, which is estimated to sweep the country over the next three months.
The move came amid mounting concerns of Cyclone Cempaka, which hit Java Island with heavy rains and wind earlier this week, causing floods and landslides that turned deadly in several areas on Tuesday (Nov 28).
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Puan Maharani gathered a number of representatives from related ministries and state institutions in a meeting to discuss the risk of floods and landslides, particularly during peak rainfall in December, January and February.
Speaking after the meeting, Puan said the government has been preparing for disaster mitigation.
"Local administrations will also be informed so they can start anticipating (floods and landslides) in the coming months of heavy rain," Puan said, adding that the Home Ministry was tasked with leading the campaign to disseminate information.
Floods and landslides caused by Cyclone Cempaka, which hit at least 13 villages in Pacitan, Kebonagung and Arjosari, East Java, have claimed 11 lives with 4,000 people reportedly in dire need of evacuation.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) had previously issued a warning of the cyclone hitting Java and Bali islands. The cyclone's winds reached 65 kilometres per hour on Tuesday, affecting at least 21 regencies and municipalities.
As the heavy rain and strong winds continued on Wednesday, floods and landslides occurred in dozens of villages in several municipalities on Central Java.
In Surakarta, hundreds of houses were inundated following heavy rainfall from Tuesday morning to Wednesday at dawn, causing thousands of residents to flee their homes for shelter.
Similar incidents also occurred in two villages in Weru district in Sukoharjo, and eight villages in Bayat district in Klaten. The floods reportedly hit hundreds of houses and covered hundreds of hectares of paddy fields.
In Wonogiri, the Search and Rescue (SAR) team recorded dozens of floods and landslides in 14 districts following hours of heavy rainfall.
Two people died in a landslide in Tirtomoyo district and two more were killed in a flood in Manyaran district in the worst such disaster in the area in the last 10 years.
In 2007, 17 residents were killed after 2-metre-high floodwater swept an area in Tirtomoyo.
"At least 2,000 residents have been evacuated. They are now taking refuge in tents," Wonogiri's Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head Bambang Haryanto said.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has found that at least 60 million Indonesian citizens live in flood-prone areas, 40 million in landslide-prone areas and 4 million in tsunami-prone areas.
As of Nov 20, the BNPB recorded 545 landslides and 689 floods across the country, making the latter the most frequent natural disaster until almost the end of 2017.
The agency has prepared any possible measures, ranging from an early warning system to emergency funds, to mitigate the effects of the disasters and to take care of residents who fell victim to floods and landslides, BNPB head Willem Rampangilei said.
"At the same time, we will conduct assessments of all damage (caused by the disasters) to accelerate the repair work," Willem added.
Social Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa said her office has prepared 278 tons of rice to be delivered to shelters across the country to reach people affected by the floods and landslides across the country.
The BMKG has detected a potential new cyclone that has formed off the southwest of Bengkulu in the Indian Ocean, and was moving to the east toward West Java and Banten provinces.
"(The cyclone) is continuing to move to the east and probably will come to the southwest of Sukabumi in West Java, causing at least strong winds until Dec 2," BMKG researcher Muhammad Iip said.
Indonesia at risk of landslides, floods amid heavy rain
Cyclone Cempaka kills 11; govt prepares for hazards as rainfall expected to last 3 months
Straits Times 1 Dec 17;
JAKARTA/PATTANI • The Indonesian government has made preparations to deal with the potential hazards of floods and landslides as the country braces itself for heavy rainfall, which is estimated to sweep the country over the next three months.
The move came amid mounting concerns over Cyclone Cempaka, which hit the island of Java with heavy rain and wind earlier this week, causing floods and landslides that turned deadly in several areas on Tuesday.
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Puan Maharani gathered a number of representatives from related ministries and state institutions in a meeting to discuss the risk of floods and landslides, particularly during peak rainfall in December, January and February.
Speaking after the meeting, Madam Puan said the govern-ment has been preparing for disaster mitigation.
"Local administrations will also be informed so they can start an-ticipating (floods and landslides) in the coming months of heavy rain," she said, adding that the Home Ministry was tasked with leading the campaign to disseminate information.
Floods and landslides caused by Cyclone Cempaka, which hit at least 13 villages in Pacitan, Kebonagung and Arjosari in East Java, have claimed 11 lives, with 4,000 people reportedly in dire need of evacuation.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) had previously issued a warning of the cyclone hitting Java and Bali islands.
The cyclone's winds reached 65kmh on Tuesday, affecting at least 21 regencies and municipalities.
21 Number of regencies and municipalities affected when the cyclone's winds reached 65kmh on Tuesday.
As the heavy rain and strong winds continued on Wednesday, floods and landslides occurred in dozens of villages in several municipalities in Central Java.
In Surakarta, hundreds of houses were inundated following heavy rainfall from Tuesday morning to dawn on Wednesday, causing thousands of residents to flee their homes for shelter.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has found that at least 60 million Indonesian citizens live in flood-prone areas, 40 million in landslide-prone areas and four million in tsunami-prone areas.
As of Nov 20, the BNPB recorded 545 landslides and 689 floods across the country, making the latter the most frequent natural disaster until almost the end of this year.
The agency has prepared many possible measures, ranging from an early warning system to emergency funds, to mitigate the effects of the disasters and to take care of residents who fell victim to floods and landslides, BNPB head Willem Rampangilei said.
"At the same time, we will conduct assessments of all damage (caused by the disasters) to accelerate the repair work," he said.
Social Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa said her office has prepared 252 tonnes of rice to be delivered to shelters across the country to reach people affected by the floods and landslides across the country.
The BMKG has detected a potential new cyclone that has formed off the south-west of Bengkulu in the Indian Ocean, and is moving to the east toward West Java and Banten provinces.
"(The cyclone) is continuing to move to the east and probably will come to the south-west of Sukabumi in West Java, causing at least strong winds until Dec 2," BMKG researcher Muhammad Iip said.
Meanwhile, heavy floods also swept into southern Thailand this week killing five people, the authorities said yesterday as photos of waterlogged and damaged roads spread on social media.
The worst-hit provinces are located in the deep south on the border with Malaysia, a restive hot spot where Muslim insurgents have engaged in clashes with the central government. More than 380,000 people from eight southern provinces have been affected by the rising waters in the southern Thailand but no formal evacuation plan has been announced.
THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Dames Alexander Sinaga Jakarta Globe 30 Nov 17;
Jakarta. The UK-based Body Shop on Monday (27/11) donated Rp 1.8 billion, or $126,000, to non-profit environmental agency Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari to save the population of a newly found species of orangutan in North Sumatra.
The species, Tapanuli orangutans, or Pongo tapanuliensis, were confirmed by scientists in early November.
The primate is currently under assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to be categorized as a critically endangered species.
According to scientists, the Tapanuli orangutans currently number less than 800. Their habitats are fragmented by the Great Sumatran fault, which might lead to inbreeding among isolated groups of the orangutans.
Aryo Widiwardhono, chief executive of The Body Shop Indonesia, said his company has invited its customers to participate in the conservation project by making donations that will be used to finance the construction of a bridge and forest corridors to allow for easier movement of the Tapanuli orangutans.
"The Body Shop Bio-Bridge in Batang Toru forest [North Sumatra] will facilitate the breeding of the Tapanuli orangutans. It is hoped that it will prevent them from extinction,” Aryo said in a statement received by the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday.
Ian Singleton, director of the environmental agency, said the presence of the bridge is essential for the repopulating the orangutans and to conserve their habitats.
Singleton explained that the species population is currently split into two main areas, which are the western and eastern blocs of Batang Toru located near the fault.
"And there is also a small population [of Tapanuli orangutans] which is situated in the Sibual Buali Natural Reserve in the southeast of the western bloc," he added.
Batang Toru forest is an area of approximately 150 thousand hectares, 142 thousand hectares of which is the primary forest.
Reliefweb 30 Nov 17;
NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, 30th November 2017, (NNT) - The South of Thailand has continued to experience heavy rain, which has triggered flash floods and rain water runoff in several areas. A number of provinces have declared disaster zones in various districts.
In Nakhon Si Thammarat, officials of Khao Luang National Park in Phrom Khiri district have temporarily closed access to Phrom Lok Waterfall, Ai Khiao Waterfall and three other waterfalls under their jurisdiction, following heavy runoff in the park. The officials urged nearby residents to beware of flash floods.
The province has declared disaster zones in seven districts: Cha-uat, Bang Khan, Chian Yai, Chulabhorn, Phipun, Thung Song and Pak Phanang. Officials have been dispatched to distribute animal feed to agriculturalists who are struggling to provide for their livestock.
The Nakhon Si Thammarat provincial administration has also set up an emergency flood response center to coordinate relief from various sectors. Local residents are urged to closely follow the latest information from the center.
Similarly in Songkhla, the province has established an emergency flood response center in Thepa district, after the Thepa Canal overflowed into the surrounding community. Officials have handed out food to residents of the hardest hit areas. Governor Doldej Pattanarat recently visited the district to give survival kits to flood victims, while instructing relevant authorities to monitor the situation around the clock.
The Meteorological Department has forecast that more rain is likely in the South. Low pressure cells from the Malaysian coast are moving into lower southern region and are expected to reach the Andaman Sea on December 1st. Several areas in the South may experience more flooding, with rough seas and two- to three-meter waves expected in the Andaman Sea.
Information and Source
Reporter : Nuppol Suvansombut
Rewriter : Rodney McNeil
National News Bureau & Public Relations : http://thainews.prd.go.th
Floods in southern Thailand kill five
AFP New Straits Times 30 Nov 17;
PATTANI: Heavy floods swept into southern Thailand this week killing five people, authorities said Thursday as photos of waterlogged and damaged roads spread on social media.
The worst-hit provinces are located in the deep south on the border with Malaysia, a restive hotspot where Muslim insurgents have engaged in clashes with the central government.
The flooding from the annual monsoon rains prompted residents to use small boats for transportation in Pattani province, according to an AFP photographer on site.
All five victims drowned, an official with the disaster management hotline told AFP.
Nearby in Songhkla province, a road collapsed under a car, forming a small ravine with the car stuck at the bottom. The driver was not injured.
More than 380,000 people from eight southern provinces have been affected by the rising waters in the southern Thailand but no formal evacuation plan has been announced.
Southeast Asia is frequently affected by seasonal downpours. In October, Vietnam struggled to deal with flooding that killed more than 70 people.--AFP
Floods in Southern Thailand spilling over to Kelantan
c.a. zulkifle and syed azhar The Star 1 Dec 17;
KOTA BARU: The southern Thai provinces of Narathiwat declared all its 13 districts disaster zones, even while flood waters continued to rise in Kelantan.
Kelantan Drainage and Irrigation Department director Kamal Mustapha said flood waters in southern Thailand were also pouring into Sungai Golok from 19 tributaries, worsening the situation in the Rantau Panjang area. Several low-lying areas in Tumpat, he said are expected to be affected by floodwaters for at least two weeks due to high water levels at Sungai Golok, in Rantau Panjang and Kuala Jambu.
He said Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang had risen above the 9m danger level to 10.66m, while the river at Kuala Jambu, Tumpat, had risen above its 2.50m danger level to 3.42m.
“Low lying areas will have stagnant water for more than 14 days and people there will have to stay at relief centres or alternative accommodation,” he said.
Kamal said that in the long term a 26km bund would be built at a cost of RM300mil to stop water flow into Sungai Golok from Pengkala Kubor to Tumpat.
He added that another RM1.1bil had been allocated to build a 60km long bund, in stages, from Bukit Bunga to Tumpat.
There are 13,539 Kelantan flood victims at 100 relief centres in nine districts reports Bernama.
Pasir Mas had the highest number of victims with 8,630 from 3,588 families in 44 relief centres.
In Terengganu, the number of flood victims dropped to 1,073 people from 284 families compared to 1,244 at 10pm the night before.
Only 28 relief centres, in six districts, are still open in the state.
In Petaling Jaya, Tenaga Nasional Berhad senior general manager (operations and assets) Roslan Abd Rahman said hydroelectric dams in Tasik Kenyir, Terengganu, Cameron Highlands, Pahang, and Sungai Perak, Perak were in perfect condition and capable of handling the high volume of water.
“We will release the water if it gets to danger levels,” he said.
He added that water would also be released according to a schedule to ensure dam capacity was stable.
The Conversation 30 Nov 17;
From knowing where animals live, to which plants provide what medicinal benefits, communities around the world hold expert levels of knowledge on their local environments.
In general, scientific investigations provide precise and measurable information, collected over short amounts of time. But this “local ecological knowledge” is made up of observations collected over very long time periods, which are often passed down through the generations. It can be simple things, like knowing the best places to fish, or can include rare or extreme events, such as floods or periods of bad weather.
For coastal communities dependent on ocean resources, this accumulated ecological knowledge is key to collecting food and maintaining livelihoods. But community ecological knowledge need not, and does not, stand alone from science. It has been repeatedly “tested” by scientists, and is now increasingly being recognised as a valuable asset in environmental management and conservation biology.
In recent years, wider recognition of its value has resulted in local knowledge being drawn on to support natural resource management. It has been used to help design marine protected areas, for example in Myanmar and the Philippines.
By combining the two, local knowledge can be a useful tool in data poor areas. Particularly when it comes to monitoring rare or endangered species.
Saving the dugong
The dugong is a large marine mammal that feeds almost exclusively on seagrass – itself a threatened plant species. At present the dugong is listed as “vulnerable to extinction” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature red list. Major threats to dugong populations include habitat loss, coastal development, pollution, fishing activities, vessel strikes and unsustainable hunting or poaching.
Dugongs are thought to exist in only small fragmented groups outside of their primary population in Australia. Though dugongs are still found in the coastal waters of more than 40 countries throughout the Indo-West Pacific, accurate scientific information is scarce and often anecdotal. To properly support the protection of these vulnerable animals, we need to know where they are.
To monitor dugong populations, researchers typically use aerial surveys or unmanned aerial vehicles. But these techniques are costly, and often affected by difficult conditions such as cloudy water and glare. Additionally, they also provide only a narrow snapshot of what might be occurring in any particular area at a single time.
This is where local ecological knowledge can be hugely beneficial. If available, it has the potential to fill in the detail about the whereabouts and numbers of sighted dugongs.
Indonesian efforts
In Indonesia, dugongs are protected but there is limited accessible information on population numbers or their geographical range. Though the government appears committed to conserving the species, there is also growing evidence of the rapid decline of Indonesian seagrass meadows due to a suite of threats including overfishing.
But fishers are not the dugong’s enemy, rather they could be its saviour. Our recently published research used the knowledge of fishers to confirm the persistence of dugong in the Wakatobi National Park, Indonesia. The fishers, who take to the water daily, were able to relay precise times, dates and locations of multiple dugong sightings, going as far back as 1942. These fishers had knowledge that far surpassed any official research record and were able to describe previously unrecorded historical trends and population changes.
This is not the first time that this kind of locally-held ecological knowledge has been used to conserve species, nor will it be the last. Other examples include the conservation of the endangered Baleen whale poplulations in the Falklands, and rare freshwater fishes in the Mekong River.
Using science and the ecological knowledge of local people does more than save just one species at a time, too. The ocean is an ecosystem, and each plant, animal or other creature relies on one another. Dugong and seagrass conservation, for example, go hand-in-hand. To acquire better information on the population distribution of dugongs, we also need to know the distribution and status of seagrass. And by integrating these kinds of information, we can start saving the oceans.
Authors
Leanne Cullen-Unsworth
Research Fellow, Cardiff University
Benjamin L. Jones
Researcher at the Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University
Richard K.F. Unsworth
Research Officer, Swansea University
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