Best of our wild blogs: 30 Oct 18

14 Oct (Sun) - Free guided walk at Chek Jawa Boardwalk
Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs

Proning - Getting Down on It!
Butterflies of Singapore

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Outdoor educator, nature enthusiasts reach happy compromise over Rifle Range Nature Park

LOW YOUJIN Today Online 29 Sep 18

SINGAPORE – Conservationists who were alarmed by the potential impact of an outdoor education programme on Rifle Range Nature Park have reached a happy compromise with its founder Darren Quek.

In the wake of TODAY's report on Mr Quek's alternative programme, Forest School Singapore, nature enthusiasts had raised concerns over the impact that humans could have by going off-trail and entering an ecologically sensitive stream in the area.

While they welcomed Mr Quek's efforts to connect children with nature, they wondered if the positive online response to his programme would lead more parents to sign their children up, and were worried that he might be loving nature to death.

Wildlife consultant Subaraj Rajathurai said he was disturbed by Forest School Singapore's videos of children running through the streams in nature reserves and parks.

"Basically, that is not allowed as the streams are delicate ecosystems in their own right, with native wildlife that would be very badly disturbed by such activities," said Mr Subaraj.

Mr Louis Ng, founder of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), said he supports Mr Quek's intentions.

"There are important lessons (children) can and need to learn in the forest and through free play," said Mr Ng, who is also a Member of Parliament.

But "it is a question of sustainability, especially if more and more people start to follow and also wander off the trails and ultimately destroy the ecosystem which we are teaching the children to protect," he said.

REACHING OUT

The National Parks Board's (NParks) group conservation director Adrian Loo got in touch with Mr Quek and met him recently with nature enthusiast and biology teacher Tan Beng Chiak.

Ms Tan, who is a member of the Nature Society (Singapore) and board member of the Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore), said she knew conservationists were "quite upset" with Mr Quek's activities within Rifle Range Nature Park as it is a pristine area.

She did not disagree with Mr Quek's teaching philosophy and went along to meet Mr Quek as she wanted to share her perspective as an educator.

"All we need is to communicate with each other and come to a better solution than to clamp them down and shut them off," said Ms Tan.

Dr Loo said the meeting was to share about conservation matters and to better understand the school's objectives so that NParks could support it.

He has offered to guide Mr Quek on walks through the various reserves and parks on the island to share more about Singapore's ecology and biodiversity.

Mr Quek, on his part, is heartened by discussions so far.

He acknowledged the ecological sensitivity of Rifle Range Nature Park and has agreed to adjust his programme accordingly. The former preschool teacher wants to have more conversations with the nature community and is excited to learn from the experts.

Both sides are open to collaboration, although no concrete plans have been laid out yet.

Dr Loo said an option is "co-creating programmes with the school that will connect children to nature in ways that are both experiential and sensitive to the environment".

Forest School Singapore's participants could serve as eyes and ears on the ground for NParks, said Mr Quek.

With Rifle Range Nature Park slated to close from October until 2020 for enhancement works, Mr Quek is scouting around for other green areas in Singapore that are not ecologically sensitive to conduct his programme.

This is something that NParks can help with, said Dr Loo.

"We welcome other educators who are interested in organising nature-based activities in our green spaces to get in touch with us, to discuss how to carry out the programmes in a sensitive manner," he said.

KEEPING IT NATURAL

Taking TODAY on a guided walk through Rifle Range Nature Park last week, Dr Loo said the upcoming enhancement works will benefit the ecosystem and not turn it into a manicured space, as Mr Quek had feared.

Natural features such as dead logs by the side of walking trails will become a home for insects, which in turn serve as food for the critically endangered Sunda Pangolin.

Invasive plant species such as the Zanzibar Yam will be removed. The tuber with heart-shaped leaves was originally brought over by the British from Africa who thought it might be a good food source.

Left unmanaged, this climber will grow rapidly and even "smother trees", said Dr Loo.

"If we don't eradicate it, the native plants will not be able to come in and take root."

More native species of plants will be introduced. For example, the fishtail palm's fruit will attract animals such as the Common Palm Civet, which in turn helps to disperse seeds through its scat.

Creatures that can be found in the stream include the Common Walking Catfish and a native Lowland Freshwater Crab, as well as the Malayan Forest Betta (a fish) and Sunda Swamp Eel.

"Several species of dragonflies and their larvae could take six months to a year to mature into adults," said Dr Loo.

While a lone person wading through the stream will not make a difference, a big group could cause fine silt to get stirred up and clog the gills of aquatic life and "even prevent fish from finding their prey".

Going off-trail could damage seedlings and plants such as the bintagor gasing – an evergreen plant with medicinal properties – which may not be able to recover, said Dr Loo.

Spreading awareness of nature is the point of his efforts, said Dr Loo. "We want to impart this. That's why we are in conservation. With more knowledge, you can become more aware of your surroundings and be better stewards to your environment."

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First turtle hatchery in Singapore opens; almost 40 turtle nests recorded on Singapore shores this nesting season

Jose Hong Straits Times 29 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE - The Republic's first turtle hatchery opened at the Sisters' Island Marine Park on Saturday (Sept 29), allowing conservationists to better protect rare sea turtles which have been increasingly sighted here.

The National Parks Board's (NParks) Dr Karenne Tun said 38 nests have been recorded on Singapore's shores this nesting season, which lasts from around May to October. There are between 120 and 180 eggs in each nest.

By chance, 16 hawksbill turtles hatched at the facility on the morning of the launch. They were later released into the sea.

The hatchery comprises two sections: An incubation sand pit area, where trained volunteers and staff take care of eggs as they incubate, and a turtle field station that provides volunteer training, educational and research programmes, and other hatchery-related activities.

NParks said the facility is located on Small Sister's Island because it sits between East Coast Park and the other Southern Islands, the two areas where most turtle nesting activities have been recorded since 2005.

Staff and volunteers will transport eggs found across Singapore to the incubation sandpit if their original sites are not suitable, said Dr Tun, who is the director for coastal and marine at the National Biodiversity Centre.

At other sites, turtles may lay their nests in places with high human footfall that could threaten the eggs.

Turtle eggs in the incubation sandpit area where trained volunteers and staff take care of them as they incubate. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
The nesting site at the hatchery uses high-tech systems such as a Bluetooth water level detector that can tell if seawater is entering the nests; a temperature sensor; and a motion trigger camera that can tell when the turtles are emerging from the sand.

The incubation area consists of three metal cages that protect the eggs from predators, and they can hold up to four nests each.

A hawksbill turtle, which laid 99 eggs on Sept 2 on a Sisters' Island beach, has had its nest relocated to one of the cages. The eggs are due to hatch around Oct 26.

Speaking at the launch of the hatchery, Second Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said: "Aside from already being a popular nesting spot, Small Sister's Island is a protected area within the Sisters' Island Marine Park that is zoned for conservation and research.

"This limits the disturbance to the nests caused by human traffic and light pollution. It also helps to maximise the number of hatchlings that are able to make it out to sea."

Singapore is home to two species of turtles, both of which are at high risk of extinction.

The hawksbill turtle, which is most commonly seen around the Republic's coasts, is critically endangered. The green turtle, which is much less encountered, is endangered.

NParks already monitors the various nests around the country, such as the one where the eggs had hatched on Pulau Satumu last Tuesday (Sept 25), but it said the public will be able to learn how to take care of these nests and eggs at the hatchery through a volunteer training programme.

Called the Biodiversity Beach Patrol, it will teach participants how to protect nesting turtles and how to move eggs safely, for instance.

Volunteer Lisa Lim was at the hatchery's launch on Saturday and preparing the baby turtles for their maiden journey into the sea.

"Many people don't think that Singapore has sea turtles, but volunteering gives you the chance to see them and really understand what we have," said the science teacher, who volunteers weekly.

"This hatchery gives us the chance to share why we need to conserve turtles, why they're so vulnerable and how we can sustain their population," said Ms Lim, 48.

NParks will announce new training dates by the end of 2018, but those interested in the Biodiversity Beach Patrol can read more here.


Over 300 endangered turtles hatch in Singapore
AFP Yahoo News 28 Sep 18;

More than 300 hawksbill turtles have hatched on beaches in Singapore this month and been released into the sea, authorities said Friday, in a boost for the critically endangered creatures.

They hatched on three beaches across the tropical Southeast Asian country, according to the National Parks Board, which oversees parks and nature reserves.

Over 100 turtles hatched on Sentosa Island, a popular tourist destination, according to the organisation that manages the island. After their nest was discovered in July, a barrier was erected around the site to protect it from monitor lizards and crabs

It was the fourth time since 1996 that eggs of the critically endangered turtles have hatched on Sentosa.

The other turtle nests were discovered at a beach on the east coast and on Satumu island south of the Singapore mainland, the parks board said. A total of 321 turtles hatched over a 10-day period from September 15.

Hawksbills get their names from their narrow pointed beaks and are found throughout the world's tropical oceans, mainly around coral reefs.

They are threatened by damage to their natural habitats from pollution and coastal developments, and are also targeted by poachers.

Their body parts are used to make turtle soup and their shells are crushed into powder for use in jelly dessert. The Hawksbill shell is also used to make products like combs and ornamental hairpins.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the turtles as critically endangered.

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Indonesia: Death toll in Palu quake, tsunami reaches 384 on Saturday

Antara 29 Sep 18;

Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - The death toll in a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami in the Central Sulawesi provincial capital of Palu reached 384 on Saturday, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

"The death toll is 384. The figure may increase, as the joint team has not reached all affected areas," Head of the BNPB Data and Information Center and Public Relations Sutopo Purwo Nugroho stated on Saturday.

Nugroho noted that 540 residents in Palu had sustained injuries. The figure did not include those from Donggala District that also bore the brunt of the quake and tsunami.

The Disaster Victim Investigation team of the National Police has, so far, identified 56 of the 384 dead victims.

The agency has also received a report that 29 people were still missing in Palu City.

Sutopo confirmed the social media report and photographs of the quake and tsunami victims that had yet to be evacuated.

The evacuation and identification of quake victims are still underway.

He noted that both Palu City and Donggala District currently need heavy-duty equipment, power supplies, and telecommunication networks apart from fast food and other basic necessities.

"Last night, the joint SAR team heard somebody seeking help to remove the debris falling on him. However, it is increasingly difficult to evacuate victims in the dark," he revealed.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency earlier stated that an earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale had rocked the province on Friday evening. The quake, centered 27 kilometers (km) northeast of Donggala at a depth of 10 km, triggered a tsunami 0.5-6 meters high in the province`s western coast.


Reporting by Virna P Setyorini
Editing by Suharto

Editor: Suharto


Several hundreds of Palu quake victims likely trapped under rubble
Antara 29 Sep 18;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Several hundreds of residents of Palu City are feared to be trapped under the remnants of buildings destroyed by the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that rocked the capital city of Central Sulawesi Province on Friday.

As of Saturday morning, the earthquake victims, likely trapped under the rubble of the destroyed buildings, including the city`s biggest shopping mall, have yet to be evacuated.

Antara journalist Rolex Malaha, who traveled across the city to observe the real condition in the aftermath of the quakes on Saturday morning, reported that tens of local residents might still be trapped under the rubble of the four-floor Tatura shopping mall.

A worker at Tatura shopping mall stated that several victims, buried under the rubble, had yet to be rescued and evacuated.

A total of 14 bodies, retrieved from the Tatura shopping mall, had been carried to the Budi Agung Hospital, while several hundreds of wounded survivors had yet to receive medical treatment due to unavailability of doctors.

Several buildings, including the Roa-Roa Hotel and Anutapura Hospital, were destroyed by the strong earthquake, which was followed by a tsunami.

The eight-floor hotel has 80 rooms, of which 76 were occupied by guests. According to several witnesses, many guests of the hotel might still be trapped under the rubble.

Meanwhile, the fate of several hundreds of people flocking to the Wonderful Palu Nomoni Festival venue remain unknown after the tsunami hit the area on Friday afternoon.

Among those missing are dancers, who would perform at the annual festival.

The strong earthquake not only destroyed many commercial and government buildings but also the people`s houses.

Several city residents, fearing the aftershocks, have yet to return to their houses and have instead taken refuge in safer places and are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Certain parts of Central Sulawesi, especially the areas of Donggala District and Palu, the province`s capital city, were rocked by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake on Friday afternoon.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency has issued a tsunami warning following the earthquake. The tremors of the strong earthquake were also felt by those living in Mamuju District, around 237 kilometers away from Donggala District.

In response to this catastrophe, President Joko Widodo has expressed his condolences to those affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

Reporting by Budi Setiawanto dan Rolex Malaha
Editing by Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Otniel Tamindael


Central Sulawesi quake: What we know so far
Devina Heriyanto The Jakarta Post 28 Sep 18;

A tsunami hit Palu, Donggala and Mamuju in Central Sulawesi on Friday evening, triggered by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake that rocked the province at 5:02 p.m. Jakarta time. The epicenter of the quake is about 27 kilometers northeast of Donggala and 10 km deep.

Prior to the earthquake, in the afternoon, Donggala regency was hit by a 6.0 magnitude quake that killed at least one and injured several others. The quake struck about 2 km north of Donggala at a depth of 10 km and lasted 10 seconds. The earthquake was followed by several aftershocks of magnitudes between 3.2 and 5. The main quake was felt in Donggala, Palu and Poso.

Soon after the evening quake, a tsunami warning for Central Sulawesi was issued at 5:07 p.m. The warning, however, was revoked around 30 minutes later.

Soon, pictures and video footage of buildings being hit by water went viral on social media. Confusion ensued due to a lack of information from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) as communications were cut off.

It was only later that the BNPB confirmed that a tsunami had occurred. Its wave reached 1.5 meters high and hit, among other structures, Palu Grand Mall and Baiturrahman Mosque, both located near the coastline.

On Wednesday, the Palu Meteorological, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) in Central Sulawesi said the region had been rocked by 30 earthquakes daily over the last four months. The daily quakes were caused by shifts in the Palu-Koro fault, which extends from Poso to the waters of Tolitoli regency and branches off to the Matano fault in South Sulawesi.

Cause of quakes, tsunami

BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the first quake, which hit at 2 p.m., was caused by a Palu-Koro thrust fault that stretched from Palu to Teluk Bone.

On Saturday morning, Sutopo explained in a tweet that the Palu-Koro fault was very active and its movement might have caused a submarine landslide that triggered the tsunami. Sutopo said more research was needed.

Death toll

As of Friday evening, the government had yet to receive reports about the number of victims who died in the disaster because the communications system was damaged.

Komang Adi Sujendra, the head of the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) Central Sulawesi, said in a video on Saturday morning that at Central Sulawesi General Hospital (RSUD) alone, 30 were dead and at least 21 injured.

At around 2 p.m. on Saturday, the BNPB announced that at least 384 people are dead, 29 missing and 540 injured as rescue teams scoured the ravaged city of Palu.

“Updated numbers of the victims show that 384 people died, 29 are missing and 540 are injured. Donggala is still unreachable because communications are still cut off. A team has been dispatched to the regency,” Sutopo said.

He added that the number of victims was likely to increase because the rescue teams have yet to reach other affected areas.

Scale of destruction

There is no definitive data on the scale of destruction in the region. Damage estimates can only be determined via pictures and videos spread online. Communications have been cut off, making it hard to find information.

Video footage of the tsunami shows that the wave swept away several small buildings on the coastline. Pictures and videos show the iconic Ponulele Bridge, a major tourist attraction located near the coast of Palu, as having collapsed.

Mutiara Sis Al Jufri Airport in Palu is closed due to damages caused by the earthquake. A notification letter from AirNav Indonesia announced on Friday evening that the closure would be effective from 7:26 p.m. local time on Friday until 7:20 p.m. on Saturday. The airport suffered damages to its navigation system as well as 500 meters of its 2,500-m-long runway as a result of the earthquake, which made it impossible for large aircraft to land.

Confusion over tsunami warning

Critics have questioned why the agency decided to revoke the warning when a tsunami did take place.

BMKG chairwoman Dwikorita Karnawati claimed the warning was revoked after the agency learned the tsunami was over.

She also claimed that the height of the waves had decreased gradually, prompting the agency to revoke the tsunami warning status at 5:36 p.m.

According to the BNPB, the BMKG had initially given a different reason for its decision to change the status.

“The decision was based on visual monitoring and further monitoring using the equipment [tsunami detection buoys] at sea for 30 minutes. The BMKG did not see any significant change in the sea level. That’s why they ended the alert,” BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement.

Tsunami expert Abdul Muhari criticized the BMKG’s decision to end the tsunami warning early after the agency had obtained witness reports of a 1.5-m high wave.

“If witnesses said they saw a wave with a height of more than 1 meter, authorities should not have ended the warning, because more waves could have hit at any time soon after. Until authorities can confirm that the tsunami is over, the warning should be kept,” Abdul told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

He added that authorities might not be able to reach a conclusion immediately because they lacked the proper equipment to measure the height of the sea level both from land and in the water, as the only tide gauge available was located around 400 km away in Mamuju.

Disaster relief efforts

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto led a meeting with ministers and state institutions on Friday evening to set a plan of action that will involve the deployment of personnel, dispatch of aid and reparation of damaged facilities.

Mutiara Sis Al Jufri Airport is partly damaged. However, the government said it expected that the remaining 2,000 m of the runway could still be used for the landing of a Hercules cargo aircraft and CN-235 aircraft, which authorities would use to speed up the deployment of personnel and delivery of aid, including medical assistance and food supplies.

"The Transportation Ministry will deploy one helicopter from Makassar to Palu while bringing navigation equipment, which will be used to handle aircraft that can deliver supplies," he said, adding that, by Saturday morning, the runway was expected to be used for landing by the Hercules aircraft.

Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel stationed near the affected areas and officials from Gorontalo, Mamuju and Makassar were working to help clear building debris to find and rescue any victims who might be trapped, Wiranto said.

Sutopo said in an update that, as of 9:19 a.m., military personnel and aid totaling 6,943 kilograms had been sent to Palu.



C. Sulawesi earthquake sends shocks across Makassar Strait
N. Adri The Jakarta Post 29 Sep 18;

When Donggala regency in Central Sulawesi was struck by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake, residents in the neighboring island of Borneo also felt the shock.

Wahyullah, an architect living in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, reported the jolt lasted for seconds. The city is located around 410 kilometers to the west of Donggala, separated by the Makassar Strait.

“[We felt] the earthquake, around 6:10 p.m.,” he said on Friday evening.

Wahyullah and other employees who were in the office buildings within the area exited the buildings and gathered in the muster points.

A string of earthquakes hit Donggala on Friday afternoon, the strongest of which, measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale, occured at 6:02 p.m. local time.

The largest earthquake was followed by tsunami waves measuring 0.5 meters to 3 m in height that lashed parts of the Donggala coast and Talise beach in Palu, as the results of rising waters in Palu Bay.

The head of the search and aid operations office in Balikpapan, Octavianto, told The Jakarta Post that his unit had been on full alert since then.

The Post also received reports that visitors of Samarinda Central Plaza in Samarinda, also in East Kalimantan, exited the building when the quake occurred.

The shock was also felt by residents in Bontang city, Sangatta district in East Kutai, and Tanjung Redeb district in Berau, which are located along the eastern coast of East Kalimantan.

The distance between Balikpapan and Tanjung Redeb is around 800 km.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that the epicenter of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake was located about 27 km north-east of Donggala at a depth of 10 km.

The BMKG said the major earthquake – stemming from shifts of the active Palu-Koro fault –a fracture of the earth’s crust that spans from the Makassar Strait to the northern part of Boni Gulf in western Sulawesi.

The fault runs underneath Sulawesi Island.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has expressed condolences to the victims.

Jokowi called for calm among all Indonesian people, especially those living in or near the disaster-hit regions.

“To remain calm but stay alert as well. We hope this can be done together,” he said in Surakarta, Central Java, on Friday night. (sau)

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World 'nowhere near on track' to avoid warming beyond 1.5C target

Exclusive: Author of key UN climate report says limiting temperature rise would require enormous, immediate transformation in human activity
Oliver Milman The Guardian 27 Sep 18;

The world’s governments are “nowhere near on track” to meet their commitment to avoid global warming of more than 1.5C above the pre-industrial period, according to an author of a key UN report that will outline the dangers of breaching this limit.

A massive, immediate transformation in the way the world’s population generates energy, uses transportation and grows food will be required to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5C and the forthcoming analysis is set to lay bare how remote this possibility is.

“It’s extraordinarily challenging to get to the 1.5C target and we are nowhere near on track to doing that,” said Drew Shindell, a Duke University climate scientist and a co-author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, which will be unveiled in South Korea next month.

“While it’s technically possible, it’s extremely improbable, absent a real sea change in the way we evaluate risk. We are nowhere near that.”

In the 2015 Paris climate pact, international leaders agreed to curb the global temperature rise to 2C above the era prior to mass industrialization, with an aspiration to limit this to 1.5C. The world has already warmed by around 1C over the past century, fueling sea level rises, heatwaves, storms and the decline of vulnerable ecosystems such as coral reefs.

Shindell would not share exact details of the IPCC report, but he said that the more ambitious 1.5C goal would require a precipitous drop in greenhouse emissions triggered by a rapid phaseout of fossil fuels, particularly coal, mass deployment of solar and wind energy and the eradication of emissions from cars, trucks and airplanes.

Even then, emerging technology will be required on a global scale to capture emissions at the source and bury them in the ground or remove carbon directly from the air.

“The penetration rate of new technology historically takes a long time,” Shindell said. “It’s not simple to change these things. There aren’t good examples in history of such rapid, far-reaching transitions.”

The fading prospect of keeping the global temperature rise to below 1.5C has provoked alarm among leaders of low-lying island nations that risk being inundated should the world warm beyond this point.

“Every country must increase the ambition of their existing targets,” said Hilda Heine, president of the Marshall Islands, which announced a plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050 at the UN general assembly in New York this week. “If we can do it, so can everyone else.”

The UN general assembly has again pitted the world’s countries against Donald Trump when it comes to climate change, with the US president using his keynote speech to praise “clean coal”. Trump has vowed to exit the Paris accord, a stance that Emmanuel Macron, the French president, told the UN should be met with consequences such as a refusal by countries to enter into trade deals with the US.

“It’s a lot more difficult without the US as a leader in climate change negotiations,” Ola Elvestuen, Norway’s environment minister, told the Guardian. “We have to find solutions even though the US isn’t there.”

Elvestuen said countries, including Norway, which is one of the world’s largest oil and gas producers, need to transition away from fossil fuels, embrace electric cars and halt deforestation.

He admitted these changes had not happened quickly enough since the Paris deal. Last year, global greenhouse gas emissions rose slightly again after a short period of stasis.

“We are moving way too slowly,” Elvestuen said. “We have to do more of everything, faster. We need to deliver on policies at every level. Governments normally move slowly but we don’t have the time.”

“The 1.5C target is difficult, but it’s possible. The next four to 12 years are crucial ones, where we will set the path to how the world will develop in the decades ahead. The responsibility in doing this is impossible to overestimate. To reach the goals of the Paris agreement we need large structural changes.”

A difference of 0.5C in temperature may appear small but the IPCC report, which is a summary of leading climate science, is expected to warn there will be major impacts if warming reaches 2C.

“Even 1.5C is no picnic, really,” said Dr Tabea Lissner, head of adaptation and vulnerability at Climate Analytics.

Lissner said a world beyond 1.5C warming meant the Arctic would be ice-free in summer, around half of land-based creatures would be severely affected and deadly heatwaves would become far more common. “0.5C makes quite a big difference,” she said.

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Indonesia: Palu quake triggers 1.5-meter tsunami

Antara 29 Sep 18

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) Dwikorita Karnawati said the 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Donggala Central Sulawesi triggered a 1.5-meter tsunami in Palu.

"The sea water surged, ranging from six centimeters of the tide gauge in Mamuju at 5.27pm Western Indonesia Standard Time (WIB) and eye witnesses on the field saw the height of the tsunami reached 1.5 meters," the BMKG head told a press conference here on Friday.

The BMKG, which previously announced the magnitude of the earthquake at 7.7 on the Richter scale, updated the magnitude to 7.4 on the Richter scale, which occurred at 0.20 degrees southern latitude and 119 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 11 kilometers.

Based on the agency`s standard, the earthquake could generate a tsunami at an alert level of over 50 centimeters to 3 meters, which could arrive onshore at 5.22pm (WIB).

The results of the BMKG monitoring showed that the water had continued to recede so that the tsunami warning ended at 5.36pm (WIB).

"This means that the 1.5-meter tsunami indeed took place but the incident ended at 5.36pm WIB, and thus, the BMKG ended the tsunami early warning," Karnawati said.

BMKG monitoring results showed that until 8pm WIB, 22 aftershocks followed with the smallest magnitude of 2.9 on the Richter scale and the strongest one at 6.3 on the Richter scale.

Reporting by Desi Purnamawati

Editor: Andi Abdussalam


Tsunami waves hit several parts of central Sulawesi: BNPB
Antara 28 Sep 18;

Jakarta, Sept 28 (ANTARA News) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) confirmed that tsunami waves had struck several parts of Central Sulawesi namely Talise and Donggala Beaches after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit the province on Friday afternoon.

"The BNPB has confirmed to the BPBD (Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency) that the tsunami hit the Talise coast in Palu City and the beach in Donggala," Head of Information Data and Public Relation Center BNPB Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said here on Friday.

The tsunami resulted in casualties. BNPB is still carrying out data collection to ensure the death toll. The victim who died was caused by the collapse of a building

"The tsunami also hit several settlements and buildings around the beach. The number of victims and is still being collected," he said.

BPBD officers, Military, National Police, National Search and Rescue Agency personnel, and volunteers evacuated and helped victims.

"The injured victims have been handled by health workers," he said.

The 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Donggala District, around 73 kilometers from Palu, at 5:02 p.m. Jakarta time. Sutopo said in a written statement that the epicenter of the quake was located about 27 km north-east of Donggala at a depth of 10 km.

Reporting by Indra Arief

(UU.A063/B/A063/A014) 28-09-2018 23:49:24
Editor: Andi Abdussalam


Tsunami warning in C. Sulawesi revoked after wave subsided: BMKG
Kharishar Kahfi and Gemma Holliani Cahya Kharishar Kahfi and Gemma Holliani Cahya
The Jakarta Post 28 Sep 18;

Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) chairwoman Dwikorita Karnawati has confirmed that tsunami waves had struck several parts of Central Sulawesi after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the province on Friday afternoon.

The agency said the waves struck at least two locations in the province, namely Mamuju and the provincial capital of Palu.

“According to our tide gauge in Mamuju, a rise in the sea level of 6 centimeters was recorded in the city at 5:27 p.m. Jakarta time. Meanwhile, witnesses in the field saw a 1.5-meter rise in the sea level in Palu,” Dwikorita said during a press briefing on Friday.

She claimed the height of the waves decreased gradually, prompting the agency to end the tsunami warning status at 5:36 p.m.

The agency confirmed a tsunami had struck the province hours after videos of what appeared to be a tsunami hitting Palu Grand Mall and Baiturrahman Mosque had been circulating online.

Critics have questioned why the agency decided to revoke the warning when a tsunami did take place.

The BMKG issued a tsunami warning for the western and central part of Sulawesi at 5:07 p.m. The warning, however, was revoked around 30 minutes later.

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the BMKG had initially given a different reason for revoking the warning.

“The decision was based on visual monitoring and further monitoring using the equipment [tsunami detection buoys] at the sea for 30 minutes. The BMKG did not see any significant change in the sea level. That’s why they ended the alert,” BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Donggala regency, around 73 kilometers from Palu, at 5:02 p.m. Jakarta time. Sutopo said in a written statement that the epicenter of the quake was located about 27 km north-east of Donggala at a depth of 10 km.

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Best of our wild blogs: 28 Sep 18

Wood Sandpiper feeding behaviour
Singapore Bird Group

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$227 million PUB works to keep Orchard Road free from floods unveiled

Jose Hong and Jolene Ang Straits Times 28 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE - Two drainage projects aimed at keeping Orchard Road flood-free during intense downpours were unveiled on Friday (Sept 28).

These projects by national water agency PUB cost $227 million and took more than two million man-hours across four years of construction.

The Stamford Diversion Canal (SDC) and Stamford Detention Tank (SDT) aim to ensure that, should the same intensity of rain as that in June 2010, June 2011 and December 2011 fall over the Stamford Catchment area again, Orchard Road will not flood.

PUB chief executive Ng Joo Hee said: "The same rains that led to the Orchard Road floods eight years ago should not threaten our famous shopping street again."

He said: "Building bigger and bigger drains to deal with more and more intense rain is not a good method. The SDT and SDC are better ways. By detaining, delaying and diverting storm runoff before it can do serious harm, the SDT and SDC offer long-term flood protection for Orchard Road."

The two new drainage projects will ease the load on Stamford Canal, which is 4.7km long and runs from Tanglin to the Marina Reservoir, by about 30 per cent.

The 2km-long SDC will divert excess rainwater from Holland Road, Napier Road and Grange Road - which are in the upstream section of Stamford Catchment - into the nearby Singapore River, which then merges with the Marina Reservoir farther on. Rainwater runoff from these areas would flow into Stamford Canal otherwise.

During heavy rainfall, the detention tank will be able to store excess water from the drains in the above areas. Its capacity is 38,000 cubic metres, or 15 Olympic sized swimming pools.

It will take around four hours to completely empty the tank when it is full.

When the rain stops and sensors detect that the drains are less than 25 per cent filled, the water from the tank will be pumped back and released.

Orchard Road Business Association (Orba) executive director Steven Goh said that they welcomed the two projects "very very much".

"There was some inconvenience during the eight-year planning and construction, such as taking two minutes longer to get from one building to another due to traffic diversions, but all of our stakeholders were supportive because they understood why this project was being done," he said.

Speaking at the opening of the two drainage projects, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said one of the key challenges was minimising disruption to users of the Orchard Road area.

"PUB engineers had to exercise great care to protect the structural integrity of nearby buildings and roads," he said, adding: "Throughout the four years of construction, motorists remained unaware that they were driving on top of major tunnelling works, as the roads above remained open and safe to use."

Mr Masagos said: "The Government has invested $1.2 billion in drainage improvement works since 2012 and will spend another $500 million in the next two to three years... We have to prioritise our investments and look for cost-effective and practical solutions to meet our needs. The SDT and SDC are key outcomes of (this) pragmatic approach."

Assistant Professor Aron Meltzner from the Earth Observatory of Singapore said it is almost impossible to calculate how much extra capacity the SDC and SDT would have if the same rains as 2010 and 2011 happened because many factors cause floods.

"If a similar deluge happens in a slightly different location, say even 1 km away from where it happened in 2011, the water would take a different path and the details would be different," said Prof Meltzner.

He said that Singapore should expect more intense rains because of climate change, and that the highly developed urban landscape adds to the country's flood risk.


Improved flood prevention measures around Orchard Road from this month
LOW YOUJIN Today Online 28 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE – Two new flood protection measures to help divert stormwater and reduce flood risks around Orchard Road will go into operation this month, national water agency PUB announced on Friday (Sept 28).

The completion of the Stamford Detention Tank (SDT), which began construction in 2013, will allow for the temporary storage of up to 38,000m3 – or 15 Olympic sized swimming pools – of stormwater from the drains on Holland Road during heavy rainfall.

"The excess stormwater will flow from the drains into a weir chamber where a pair of inlet pipes will then channel the water into the SDT by gravity," said the PUB.

At its max capacity, the PUB said that it will take about four hours to empty and prepare the tank for the next heavy rainfall.

Once the rain subsides, water levels in the Holland Road drains will fall. This allows the water stored in the tank to be pumped back into the drains, which leads to the Stamford Diversion Canal (SDC).

The canal, which started construction in 2014, will divert stormwater from upstream areas such as Holland Road and Napier Road areas, into the Singapore River. The water will be discharged into the Singapore River through two underground tunnels of 4.5m in diameter and drains, before leading into the Marina Reservoir.

"Previously, stormwater from these areas was channelled directly into Stamford Canal. The SDC will now be able to relieve Stamford Canal of a portion of stormwater," said the PUB.

The SDC runs for two kilometres underneath Tanglin Road to Grange Road, across to Hoot Kiam Road, off Kim Seng Road and to the Singapore River.

Besides the new SDT and SDC, other flood prevention measures around Orchard Road have also been implemented, such as raising the road from Orange Grove Road to Cairnhill Road by an average of 30cm, introducing a lining to smoothen the walls of Stamford Canal to channel stormwater more quickly and working with building owners along Orchard Road to install flood barriers.

Intense rains in 2010 and 2011 had caused floods in Orchard Road as the Stamford Canal, which stretches 4.7km under Orchard Road shopping belt from Tanglin to Marina Reservoir, could not cope with the heavy rain then.

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Singapore’s total population inches up to 5.64 million, after flat growth last year

TODAY Online 28 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE — After posting the slowest growth in more than a decade last year, Singapore's total population size has rebounded slightly, based on government statistics released on Thursday (Sept 27).

As of June, Singapore’s total population stands at 5.64 million — inching up by 0.5 per cent over the past year. The population growth was almost flat (0.1 per cent) between June 2016 and June 2017.

The slight increase this time was “mainly due to stable growth in the citizen population”, said the latest annual population brief issued by the Prime Minister’s Office Strategy Group, in collaboration with partner agencies.

The citizen population grew by 1 per cent, to reach 3.47 million as of June. Both the number of permanent residents (PRs) and the non-resident population remained “relatively stable” at 0.52 million and 1.64 million respectively.

However, the citizen population continues to age, with 15.2 per cent aged 65 and above compared with 14.4 per cent last year.

The flat growth between June 2016 and June 2017 was because of fewer citizen births and a drop in non-resident population driven by a decline in foreign employment.

Over the past year, foreign employment continued to fall, but at a slower rate. Excluding foreign domestic workers, foreign employment shrank by about 10,000 — mainly due to a drop in the number of work-permit holders in the construction and marine shipyard sectors. In comparison, foreign employment fell by about 36,000 between June 2016 and June 2017.

RISE IN SINGLEHOOD, FALL IN CITIZEN BIRTHS

The report also highlighted a growing proportion of singles among citizens across most age groups last year, compared to a decade ago. The biggest increase was among female citizens aged 25 to 29, where the proportion of singles rose from 60.9 per cent to 68.1 per cent.

For male citizens in the same age group, the proportion increased from 77.5 per cent to 80.7 per cent. For most other age groups, a similar trend of rising singlehood was observed.

As for the number of citizen births last year, it fell about 2.4 per cent to 32,356, compared with 33,167 in 2016.

This was still higher than the average of the past decade of about 32,200 citizen births.

In March, Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that Singapore’s total fertility rate (TFR) dropped to 1.16 last year — the lowest since 1.15 in 2010.

The population brief attributed the fall partly to “a larger cohort of young Singaporeans (aged 19 to 29 in 2017) — many of whom are children of baby boomers — who are entering the peak childbearing ages, but have not yet had children”.

The TFR has fallen in recent years: It stood at 1.25 in 2014, and fell to 1.24 and 1.2 in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Speaking on population strategies at the Committee of Supply debate then, Mrs Teo said in Parliament that at the current TFR and if there was no immigration at all, Singapore’s citizen population will shrink in the long term. “At around the current rates of immigration, we are close to achieving the same effect as if we had full-replacement TFR. Therefore, we do not expect any major changes to our immigration policy presently,” she said.

OTHER KEY STATISTICS

IMMIGRATION

Last year, there were 22,076 new Singapore citizens and 31,849 new PRs. In comparison, the figures were 22,102 and 31,050 in 2016.

The number of citizenships granted includes children born overseas to Singaporean parents. Last year, such children made up 7 per cent (or about 1,600) of the new citizens.

The Government noted that since the tightening of the immigration framework in late 2009, there have been about 30,000 new PRs a year. “This keeps the PR population size stable, and provides a pool of candidates who may be suitable for citizenship. The majority of our PRs are in the prime working ages of 25 to 49 years,” it said.

MARRIAGE

Last year, there were 24,417 citizen marriages, up from 23,873 in 2016. In the past decade, this has averaged about 22,500.

More than one in three citizen marriages last year involved transnational couples. Over the past 10 years, there is also a steady increase in inter-ethnic marriages, with about one in five citizen marriages being between persons of different races.


Singapore population reaches 5.64 million, with 30,000 more citizens
Rachel Au-Yong Straits Times 27 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE - The total population here grew by 0.5 per cent in the 12-month period ending in June 2018 to reach 5.64 million, an increase of 30,000 buoyed mainly by births among Singaporeans as well as the addition of new citizens.

The new rate is an increase over the previous 12-month period when the population grew by 0.1 per cent, which was the slowest in more than a decade.

Of the 5.64 million, the number of Singapore citizens went up to 3.47 million, according to the annual Population in Brief report, released on Thursday (Sept 27).

The rest comprises permanent residents and non-residents, who include people who are here to work, their dependants and international students.

The number of PRs remained relatively stable at 0.52 million while that of non-residents totalled 1.64 million.

There was a slight decline in foreign employment, of around 10,000 people, during the 12-month period. This was mainly due to the decrease in the number of Work Permit Holders in the construction and marine shipyard sectors.

Meanwhile, the number of citizen births totalled 32,356, a 2.4 per cent drop against that in 2016.

Still, the figure is higher than the average of the past decade of about 32,200 births.

The resident total fertility rate, however, fell from 1.20 in 2016 to 1.16 last year - the lowest in seven years. The rate needed to replace the population is 2.1.

On the other hand, Singapore continues to age, with 15.2 per cent of the people aged 65 and older compared with 14.4 per cent in the previous period.

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Singapore and Malaysia to boost collaboration in tackling climate change, managing plastic waste

Channel NewsAsia 27 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE: The environment ministers of Singapore and Malaysia on Thursday (Sep 27) agreed to enhance collaboration in new areas such as climate change, managing plastic and packaging waste as well as industrial pollution and radiation safety.

Those issues were discussed during an annual meeting between the environment ministries of the two neighbours, which was held in Putrajaya this year.

The Singapore delegation, led by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli, included senior officials from the ministry, the National Environment Agency and other government bodies.

Mr Masagos was in Malaysia for a two-day visit at the invitation of Ms Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change.

A host of environment-related matters were discussed, including the joint monitoring of water quality in the Straits of Johor.

“The two ministers agreed on the importance of good water quality in the Straits of Johor, and encouraged both sides to continue efforts to improve water quality by implementing measures to control sources of pollution,” said a joint press release by the two environment ministries.

On land reclamation works in the Straits of Johor, the ministers noted the potential transboundary impact of such activities, and agreed that it is important for both sides to fulfil their obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“In this regard, the ministers urged the Danga Bay Joint Task Force to work closely and resolve the issues pertaining to the findings of the bathymetry surveys at Danga Bay expeditiously,” said the joint press release.

Danga Bay, at the southern tip of Johor Bahru not far from the Causeway, is home to residential and commercial developments. Land in the area has been reclaimed for several projects.

Singapore and Malaysia also agreed to continue to update each other on policies to reduce harmful vehicular emissions and identify areas of cooperation.

In addition, the ministers acknowledged the progress made by ASEAN member states in addressing transboundary pollution, and reaffirmed their commitment to work together and with other countries on such issues.

Source: CNA/gs


Singapore and Malaysia ministers discuss environment at meeting
SHANNON TEOH The New Paper 28 Sep 18;

Singapore and Malaysia's government agencies engaged in discussions over emissions, water quality in the Johor Strait, emergency responses for chemical spills and environmental training programmes yesterday, led by ministers from the two neighbouring countries.

The 31st Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visits between Singapore's Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Malaysia's Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change however did not discuss the regional haze issue.

Singapore Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli and Ms Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister, said they did not discuss the Asean transboundary haze agreement, despite a regional meeting set for early next month in Myanmar.

"We don't work bilaterally to address a multilateral issue," Mr Masagos said of the agreement.

"We are appreciative there has not been an episode of intense bad haze for the last few years," he added, congratulating Indonesia for "putting feet on the ground" to stem the problem.

Ms Yeo said she is "expecting one-step improvement" at a time during each round of haze meetings.

Both countries agreed to hold regular joint field exercises to test the effectiveness of their emergency response plan to deal with chemical spills at the Malaysia-Singapore second crossing and the Johor Strait.

ADVERSE IMPACT

They also discussed land reclamation works at the strait and their potential adverse impact on the environment.

The meetings also saw deep discussion in moving towards "zero waste", with Malaysia studying whether it can apply some of Singapore's ideas.

Mr Masagos said Singapore has pursued a strategy of "co-creating solutions" with the public, such as using technology to make it simple for them to separate waste.

In an informal meeting with Malaysia's Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar, Mr Masagos also discussed the joint hydrometric modelling study of Johor River, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then Malaysian premier Najib Razak at the eighth Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat in Singapore in January.


Singapore, Malaysia agencies talk environment and waste at annual meeting
Shannon Teo Straits Times 27 Sep 18;

PUTRAJAYA - Singapore and Malaysia's government agencies engaged in discussions over emissions, water quality in the Johor Strait, emergency responses for chemical spills and environmental training programmes on Thursday (Sept 27), led by ministers from the two neighbouring countries.

The 31st Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visits (MSAEV) between Singapore's Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and Malaysia's Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC) however did not discuss the regional haze issue.

Singapore Minister Masagos Zulkifli and Ms Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister, said they did not discuss the Asean transboundary haze agreement, despite a regional meeting set for early October in Myanmar.

"We don't work bilaterally to address a multilateral issue," Mr Masagos said of the agreement which was a response to open burning in Indonesia's palm oil plantations which shrouded the region in thick smoke in recent years.

"We are appreciative there has not been an episode of intense bad haze for the last few years," he added, congratulating Indonesia for "putting feet on the ground" to stem the problem.

Ms Yeo said that she is "expecting one-step improvement" at a time during each round of haze meetings.

"I have faith that Asean as a region will be able to solve this problem not only for haze, but to really build our brand in sustainable palm oil," she said.

Both countries agreed to hold regular joint field exercises to test the effectiveness of their emergency response plan to deal with chemical spills at the Malaysia-Singapore second crossing and the Johor Strait. They also discussed land reclamation works at the Strait of Johor and their potential adverse impact on the environment.

The meetings also saw deep discussion in moving towards "zero-waste", with Malaysia studying whether it can apply some of Singapore's ideas.

Ms Yeo said the challenge was to implement a "circular economy" where products can be repeatedly reused so "the net production of waste that we eventually have can be reduced as we cope with an increasing population".

Mr Masagos said that Singapore has pursued a strategy of "co-creating solutions" with the public, such as using technology to make it simple for them to separate waste.

In an informal meeting with Malaysia’s Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar, Mr Masagos also discussed the joint hydrometric modelling study of Johor River, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then Malaysian PM Najib Razak at the eighth Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat in Singapore in January.

The study is intended to help increase the water yield and conserve supply at the Linggiu Reservoir, which discharges water into the Johor River. Singapore buys its water from Johor under a 1962 agreement.

“The environment has changed, rainfall has changed, water catchment areas that feed into the Johor River and Linggiu Reservoir have also changed. So there is a need for us to study,” Mr Masagos told reporters on the sidelines of the MSAEV.

During his two-day visit which ends on Thursday, Mr Masagos also met Malaysia's Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad, Deputy Finance Minister Amiruddin Hamzah and Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Fuziah Salleh.


Singapore, Malaysia discuss the environment
Water quality in Johor Strait, emergency response to spills among topics at meeting
Shannon Teoh Straits Times 27 Sep 18;

Singapore and Malaysia's government agencies engaged in discussions over emissions, water quality in the Johor Strait, emergency responses for chemical spills and environmental training programmes yesterday, led by ministers from the two neighbouring countries.

The 31st Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visits (MSAEV) between Singapore's Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Malaysia's Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, however, did not discuss the regional haze issue.

Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli and Ms Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister, said they did not discuss the Asean transboundary haze agreement, despite a regional meeting set for early next month in Myanmar.


"We don't work bilaterally to address a multilateral issue," Mr Masagos said of the agreement which was a response to open burning in Indonesia's oil palm plantations which shrouded the region in thick smoke in recent years.

"We are appreciative there has not been an episode of intense bad haze for the last few years," he added, congratulating Indonesia for "putting feet on the ground" to stem the problem.

Ms Yeo said that she is "expecting one-step improvement" at a time during each round of haze meetings. "I have faith that Asean as a region will be able to solve this problem not only for haze, but to really build our brand in sustainable palm oil," she said.

Both countries agreed to hold regular joint field exercises to test the effectiveness of their emergency response plan to deal with chemical spills at the Malaysia-Singapore second crossing and the Johor Strait. They also discussed land reclamation works in the Johor Strait and their potential adverse impact on the environment.

The meetings also saw deep discussion in moving towards "zero-waste", with Malaysia studying whether it can apply some of Singapore's ideas.

THANKING INDONESIA

We are appreciative there has not been an episode of intense bad haze for the last few years.

MINISTER MASAGOS ZULKIFLI, on Indonesia "putting feet on the ground" to stem the problem.

Ms Yeo said the challenge was to implement a "circular economy" where products can be repeatedly reused so "the net production of waste that we eventually have can be reduced as we cope with an increasing population".

Mr Masagos said that Singapore has pursued a strategy of "co-creating solutions" with the public, such as using technology to make it simple for them to separate waste.

In an informal meeting with Malaysia's Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar, Mr Masagos also discussed the joint hydrometric modelling study of Johor River, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at the eighth Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat in Singapore in January.

The study is intended to help increase the water yield and conserve supply at the Linggiu Reservoir, which discharges water into the Johor River.

Singapore buys its water from Johor under a 1962 agreement.

"The environment has changed, rainfall has changed, water catchment areas that feed into the Johor River and Linggiu Reservoir have also changed. So there is a need for us to study," Mr Masagos told reporters on the sidelines of the MSAEV.

During his two-day visit, which which ended yesterday, Mr Masagos also met Malaysia's Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad, Deputy Finance Minister Amiruddin Hamzah and Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Fuziah Salleh.

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Indonesia: BMKG detects 84 hotspots in Sumatra

Antara 27 Sep 18;

Pekanbaru, Riau, (ANTARA News) - A total of 84 hotspots were detected in Sumatra, indicating the onset of land and forest fires on the island.

Pekanbaru`s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Office (BMKG) stated that the provinces of Riau and South Sumatra recorded the highest number of hotspots based on the latest data at 6 a.m. local time on Thursday, with 23 and 27 hotspots respectively, followed by 12 hotspots in Bangka Belitung, nine in Lampung, six in Jambi, five in West Sumatra, and one each in Riau Islands and Bengkulu.

Head of the BMKG Pekanbaru Station Sukisno noted that 23 hotspots in Riau were scattered across three regions, with 18 in Indragiri Hilir (Inhil) District, three in Meranti Islands, and two in Kuansing.

Of these, there are 15 hotspots, as they have a confidence level of above 70 percent.

"Some 13 hotspots are located in Inhil, and one respectively in Meranti and Kuansing," he noted.

In general, Riau`s weather conditions in the morning are cloudy. Light rain has the potential to occur in parts of the districts of Inhil and Siak.

Mild to moderate rainfall was experienced during the day in parts of Rohil, Rohul, Kampar, Dumai, and Pelalawan Regencies.

This condition is forecast to continue until night.

He added that the air temperature in Riau is forecast to reach 24 to 33 degrees Celsius, with air humidity of 45 to 97 percent.

The wind blew from the East to the South, at a speed of nine to 27 kilometers per hour.

Reporting by FB Anggoro
Editing by Andi Abdussalam, Eliswan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf

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Indonesia: Rare Sumatran tiger found dead in trap

AFP 25 Sep 18;

The carcass of a critically endangered Sumatran tiger which died after being caught in a pig trap near Pekanbaru on the island of Sumatra
A critically endangered Sumatran tiger has died after being caught in a hunter's trap on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, an official said Wednesday.

Locals told the conservation agency that a female Sumatran tiger had been seen on Tuesday caught in a pig trap set by a hunter in Muara Lembu village of Riau province.

Officers immediately visited the location but the tiger was gone.

The next day officers scoured the area once again and found the tiger dead near a ravine, with rope from the trap wrapped around its belly.

They believed the rope caused the animal's death.

Local conservation agency head Suharyono said the death was especially regrettable because the tiger was an adult female expected to give birth to cubs.

Sumatran tigers are considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

There are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild and environmental activists say they are increasingly coming into conflict with people as their natural habitat is rapidly deforested.


Man arrested after death of pregnant Sumatran tiger
Dyaning Pangestika & Rizal Harahap The Jakarta Post 27 Sep 18;

The authorities have arrested a man in connection with the death of a pregnant Sumatran tiger after it was caught in a hunter's trap, an official said on Thursday.

The man in question, identified only as E, was detained by the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (Riau BKSDA) near the location of the tiger's corpse on Wednesday night.

The head of Riau BKSDA, Suharyono, said E was still being questioned as a witness.

“He admitted that he had set up several traps in various areas,” Suharyono told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

According to Suharyono, E, who works as a security guard for an oil palm plantation, denied that he killed the tiger intentionally and said he used the traps to catch pigs.

“I told E that he was supposed to wait around the trap to prevent other animals from being harmed if he actually wanted to catch a pig. If a tiger passed by, then he should shoo it away. What would happen if it was his kid instead who was trapped?” he said.

The tiger, which was estimated to be between 3.5 and 5 years old, was found dead with the wire from the trap wrapped around its belly. The autopsy report showed that the wire had ruptured the tiger’s kidney, which led to her death.

The autopsy also revealed that the critically endangered animal was carrying two fetuses and was expected to deliver her cubs in two weeks.

If the authorities name E a suspect, he could face 5 years in prison and a Rp 100 million (US$6,708) fine as stipulated in Article 21 of Law No. 5/1999 on the conservation of biological resources and the ecosystem. (ahw)

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Best of our wild blogs: 27 Sep 18

30 Sep (Sun): Talk on sea turtles by NParks
Celebrating Singapore Shores!

Sea turtles in Singapore! And how you can help them
wild shores of singapore

Open for registration – Love MacRitchie Walk with NUS Toddycats! on 13 Oct 2018 (Sat)
Love our MacRitchie Forest

The Reopening of Ah Ma Drink Stall
Wan's Ubin Journal

Latest RUMblings: Jul-Sep 2018
Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M.) Initiative

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Malaysia: Call to ban import of plastic waste

wani muthiah The Star 27 Sep 18;

KLANG: The government should stop the import of plastic waste instead of imposing a RM15 levy for every tonne of the scrap brought into Malaysia, says the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP).

“CAP calls for a total ban on the import of plastic waste to protect public health and our environment.

“CAP is very frustrated with the Malaysian government because it does not recognise the scale of the problem,” association president S.M. Mohamed Idris said in a statement yesterday.

On Tuesday, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamarudin said a RM15 levy would be imposed when the freeze on approved permits (APs) on plastic waste import ends on Oct 23.

The imported garbage, mostly plastic, is believed to be imported from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Malaysia is slowly becoming a recycling hub for foreign trash material since China banned the import of plastic waste.

Mohamed Idris said CAP had anticipated such issues arising in Malaysia after the China ban and had written to several ministries and the National Solid Waste Man­agement Department about its concerns.

According to him, the department had talked about a ruling to control plastic waste import and imposing stringent requirements on premises and import licences.

“However, the control measures and enforcement have proven inadequate, based on the pollution and mushrooming of illegal recycling factories in many parts of Malay­sia,” he said.

Fomca president Datuk N. Mari­muthu said Malaysia already had problems with domestic garbage disposal and should not take on additional trash from other countries.

“We have a clear food wastage issue in our country with people dumping it all over the place. This is threatening to contaminate our water sources,” he said.

Marimuthu said the government must take a clear stand and do what was right for the nation.

“Why talk about imposing the RM15 levy? Just stop importing garbage. Malaysia cannot be a dumping ground as we already have far too much of our own trash,” he said.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia honorary secretary Meenakshi Raman concurred, saying: “It is not about imposing levies; it is about not allowing the waste to come into the country at all.”

If other countries banned garbage import, she added, there was no reason for Malaysia to become an importer of waste.

The government’s priority should be protecting the environment and public health, she said.


Levy for plastic waste imports
wani muthiah, arnold loh, fatimah zainal, and rashvinjeet s. bedi The Star 26 Sep 18;

KUALA LANGAT: Malaysia, which is becoming a dumping ground for plastic waste by other countries, will slap a levy on such imports to halt the growing environmental problem.

The situation became critical after China banned plastic imports, leading to a huge impact on the global recycling system.

Countries such as Britain have begun to look to other places such as Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam to offload such wastes.

Here in Kuala Langat for example, which is a town about 60km away from Kuala Lumpur, it has emerged as a hotbed of plastic waste with about 40 unlicensed factories processing imported plastic.

Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, who made a spot check here yesterday, announced that a levy would be imposed at RM15 per tonne of plastic waste after Oct 23, when the freeze on approved permits (AP) on plastic waste import ends.

(On July 23, the ministry revoked the AP on plastic waste import of 114 plastic waste companies and factories all over Malaysia for three months in order to allow the authorities to look into the plastic waste issue.)

“Malaysian factories are currently able to import plastic for free. So now we are going to put a levy on them,” she said.

Furthermore, the requirements for factories to obtain permits to import plastic waste would also be tightened, she told reporters yesterday.

The process to obtain an AP on plastic waste imports will also be made more stringent with the addition of new criteria that must be met before permits are issued to plastic waste factories.

“The names of companies that import and export plastic must be listed to show the legitimacy of the business. Applicants must also get the approval of Mida (Malaysian Investment Development Authority) in order to get the AP,” she said.

Zuraida said that the number of APs issued would be cross-checked with the Customs Department’s capacity to receive plastic waste at the ports. The monitoring process would also be tightened with the ministry looking out for illegal activities linked to this, she added.

Zuraida noted that laws were already in place to regulate plastic waste factories.

“However, unlicensed factories did not adhere to them,” she said.

Zuraida said that the ministry would be closing down 24 unlicensed factories in Kuala Langat.

“By principle we have agreed to close them down but what we want is to discuss with them to find a way on how to get rid of their plastic waste, which could be sold to licensed factories.

“We also need to set a time frame for when they should start and end the process,” she said.


'Halt plastic waste processing activities at illegal factories immediately'
Dawn Chan New Straits Times 28 Sep 18;

SHAH ALAM: A Kuala Langat-based environmental group has called for a concerted effort by the authorities to immediately halt all plastic waste processing activities in the district which are causing air pollution and endangering the lives of the local community.

A spokesperson of the Kuala Langat Action Group, which was set up to highlight the issue to the authorities, said little has changed since the recent visit by the Housing and Local Government minister, Zuraida Kamaruddin, who had addressed the issue and ordered a meeting to be called in a weeks’ time.

The spokesperson, who declined to be named, said Zuraida’s visit on Tuesday to several illegal factories processing the plastic waste sourced from overseas and unauthorised sites where the materials were dumped did nothing to put fear in the operators.

“Our observation showed that there are still illegal factories processing the plastic waste and there are still containers being sent to the premises. The factory operators know we are watching them and they have also changed their operating hours.

“It is high time that the authorities such as the Kuala Langat Municipal Council (MDKL), the Department of Environment and the district and land office take stern action against the illegal operators. I think there is a lack of supervision here and the culprits should not be given just a slap on the wrist.

“The district office should seal the illegal premises immediately and penalise the land owners for allowing such activities to take place on the property,” he told the New Straits Times Press today.

He added that members of the group were actively monitoring the activities taking place at the illegal factories in a bid to build a strong case with hopes that the authorities will put a stop to it the soonest possible.

Proof such as photographic and video evidences were being collected to show that illegal factory operators did not fear the authorities, he said.

On Tuesday, Zuraida had called for a ministerial level meeting to be held with 54 factories processing plastic waste operating in MDKL’s jurisdiction, out of which 13 were licensed after they were legalised by the state government while 17 had been ordered to shut.

Following a coordination meeting at the municipal council, Zuraida ordered a meeting to be held with all parties on Oct 2 and it will be chaired by the National Solid Waste Management Department director-general Ismail Mokhtar.

Zuraida said in the Oct 2 meeting, discussions would revolve around finding ways to dispose the existing plastic waste at the illegal factories, taking over of the materials from unlicensed parties by licensed factories and the time frame of the actions.

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Malaysia: Jumbo problems for Sabah rangers

muguntan vanar The Star 27 Sep 18;

KOTA KINABALU: The frequent conflict between man and beast has stretched wildlife rangers so thin so that they are calling on plantation owners and farmers to take their own initiatives to protect their crops from elephants without hurting the animals.

“There are just so many plantations and smallholdings that an elephant can enter anytime. There is no way the department can cope and provide assistance to all,” Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said.

He said the government wanted to optimise its resources.

“The best is for all of them to be able to protect their own property without hurting or killing the elephants,” he said when contacted about a farmer’s cry for help after elephants destroyed his newly-planted oil palm, banana plants and coconut trees on a 1.6ha farm.

They remained there for three days, destroying the crops.

He estimated his losses at RM5,000.

Ghani said it was the second time that elephants had destroyed his crops, adding that there could be up to four “visits” in a year.

“We did not dare get out of the house because we were surrounded by elephants. We were lucky they did not turn aggressive and destroy our home,” he said.

Tuuga said his department received Ghani’s complaint but he was unable to send his officers there as they were busy attending to similar problems in Kampung Bobotong and Kampung Entilibon in central Sabah’s Tongod district.

“No staff were available because other districts were also facing same problem,” he said.

Tuuga urged oil palm plantation owners to put up electric fencing if their palms were still young (less than five years old) and susceptible to damage.

The department, he said, could also help to train them in protecting their property while awaiting for assistance “if we cannot attend im­­mediately to their request for help”.

Sabah has been grappling with human-elephant conflicts in the east coast with some 25 elephant deaths, either due to poaching or unidentified natural causes, reported in the wild so far this year.

Conservationists are pushing for the need to create forest corridors for the elephants to roam between fragmented forest reserves in the east coast as one of the quick solutions to reduce such conflicts.

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Malaysia: Kelantan claims 21% of its forests given extra protection as 'water catchments'

sira habibu The Star 26 Sep 18;

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan state government claims it has gazetted about 21% of permanent forest reserves (PFR) as "water catchment forests" to show its commitment towards forest conservation.

Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob (pic) announced that the state had on Wednesday (Sept 26) approved the gazetting of 92,697 ha of forest reserve as water catchment forest, bringing the total area gazetted so far to 128,595 ha.

"It (water catchment forest) now makes up 20.97% of the 613,275 ha of PFR.

"We are committed to safeguarding forest and ensuring environmental sustainability in Kelantan," Ahmad said in a statement.

Water catchment areas must be preserved to protect water resources and ensure continuous water supply, he said.

He said since 2008, the state government had gazetted 35,898 ha (5.85% of permanent forest reserves) as water catchment forest, and on Wednesday they expanded the gazetted zone by another 92,697 ha.

"It involves 70 compartments in 11 districts," he said.

The Star has previously reported that permanent forest reserves (PFR) are, in reality, not that "permanent" as they can be logged, supposedly in a "sustainable" way.

Even worse, a loophole in the law has been allowing such forests to be cut down totally and converted into plantations of rubber trees (and also durian, teak, acacia and mahogony), as seen in many interior areas of Kelantan.

This has caused conflicts with the orang asli, who claim these forests as ancestral home lands. In addition, environmentalists have pointed out that such single-species plantations have led to soil erosion, floods, loss of rich biodiversity and loss of habitats for wildlife.

However, classification of PFR as "water catchment forests" is better, as it gives an extra level of protection. However logging is still possible, supposedly under more stringent criteria.

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Indonesia: 80 hotspots detected across Sumatra Island

Antara 26 Sep 18;

Pekanbaru, Riau, (ANTARA News) - The number of hotspots detected across Sumatra Island increased to 80 on Wednesday, from 13 on the previous day.

Of the total 80 hotspots, 38 were found in Riau Province, according to data of the Pekanbaru meteorology station.

Some 21 hotspots were found in Lampung Province, 10 in South Sumatra, three each in Riau Islands and Jambi, two in Bangka Belitung, and one each in North Sumatra as well as West Sumatra.

In Riau Province, the Terra and Aqua satellites detected 36 hotspots in Indragiri Hilir District and two in Pelalawan District.

"Some 32 hotspots were found in Indragiri Hilir, with above 70 percent accuracy of being fire spots, while only one was detected in Pelalawan," Sukisno, head of the Pekanbaru meteorology, climatology, and geophysics station, stated.

Indonesia is currently being hit by prolonged severe dry season that has triggered water shortages in regions, such as East Nusa Tenggara and parts of Java, and forest fires in Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Java.

Reporting by FB Anggoro
Editing by Fardah Assegaf
Editor: Sri Haryati

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Indonesia: Drought hits 11 districts in East Nusa Tenggara

Antara 26 Sep 18;

Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara, (ANTARA News) - A total of 11 districts in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) have been hit by severe dry season, a local official stated.

No rainfall was received since long in NTT's 21 districts, of which 11 districts were experiencing severe dry season, Apolinaris Geru, head of the Kupang meteorology, climatology, and geophysics station, stated here, Wednesday.

The 11 affected districts include East Manggarai, Nagekeo, Ende, Lembata, East Sumba, Rote Ndao, Kupang, North Timor Tengah, Malaka, and Belu.

Those districts had received no rains for over 60 days, he remarked.

September is usually the transitional period during which rains begin to fall across the country. However, until Sept 26 this year, several regions remain dry, as rains have not been received for months.

Currently, drought has hit some regions in Indonesia, especially the islands of Java and Nusa Tenggara. The drought hit 4,053 villages in 888 sub-districts located in 111 districts and cities in 11 provinces.

Some 4.87 million people in the country were affected by this year's drought, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency stated recently.

Reporting by Bernadus Tokan
Editing by Fardag Assegaf
Editor: Sri Haryati

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Best of our wild blogs: 26 Sep 18

6 Oct (Sat): FREE talk "Tales of the Sea Turtles"
Celebrating Singapore Shores!

17 Nov (Sat): Seven Stories of the Changi Area Through Historical Maps and Charts
Celebrating Singapore Shores!

Punggol Point is Alive
Offshore Singapore

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More than 800kg of e-waste collected by electronic retailers under expanded StarHub programme

JANICE LIM Today Online 26 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE — Four electronics retailers that joined an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling programme by telecommunications firm StarHub have collected more than 840kg of e-waste in the first three months.

Laptops and cables are among the most common items found in the 20 recycling bins that have been placed in the outlets of electronic goods stores Harvey Norman, Gain City, Courts and Best Denki since June. Other items are modems, mobile phones and computers.

StarHub’s REcycling the Nation's Electronic Waste (Renew) programme started in 2012 and there are now more than 460 Renew bins across the island.

More than 82 tonnes of e-waste have been collected islandwide since the beginning of the year and Ms Wendy Lai, StarHub’s senior manager in corporate sustainability, expects the total amount collected for the year to hit 100 tonnes.

All four retailers told TODAY that the visibility of the bins has increased awareness of e-waste recycling among customers.

Store managers have had curious customers asking about the green bins that have been placed prominently on their premises.

Mr Ben Tan, chief executive officer of Courts Singapore, said: “We are encouraged to see customers and members of the public utilising these bins to properly dispose of their e-waste, with higher usage seen at our larger stores — including Courts Megastore at Tampines, as well as our Ang Mo Kio and Toa Payoh stores.”

Harvey Norman’s chief operating officer Bernice Kwok said that some customers took their printers to the store to recycle, only to find out that the bins’ slots were meant for smaller electronic items. However, store managers were able to unlock the bins to allow bigger items to be deposited.

Gain City’s senior marketing manager Alex Wong reported that usage of the bins was “not that high”, although Gain City has been promoting e-waste awareness through its roadshows.

The good news is that customers have not been discarding non-electronic items in the bins. This could be due to their design and the various messages plastered on the bins, as well as their prominent positions in the stores, the retailers said.

E-WASTE RECYCLING IN SINGAPORE

StarHub’s Renew programme is one of several company-led e-waste recycling efforts for individuals and households in Singapore. Others include the Singtel X SingPost Recycle programme, M1 Drop-off Point campaign and Panasonic’s Heartland E-waste Recycling Programme.

Since 2015, the National Voluntary Partnership programme of the National Environment Agency (NEA) has provided support in co-organising events, administrative help and extra publicity for these efforts. The NEA also provides funding of up to 80 per cent for project qualifying costs, to encourage partners to implement or expand their programmes, an agency spokesperson told TODAY.

NEA said that more than 130 tonnes of e-waste was collected last year through these four programmes. StarHub’s Renew programme was the biggest, collecting about 70 per cent of the amount, or more than 92 tonnes of e-waste last year.

The amount, however, is a fraction of more than 60,000 tonnes of e-waste being generated by Singaporeans every year — half of it coming from households — figures from NEA showed.

Part of the reason is because existing voluntary programmes mostly accept smaller e-waste items, the NEA spokesperson said.

TODAY previously reported that bulkier electrical products make up more than 80 per cent of the e-waste generated here.

The NEA announced in March that it is developing a regulated e-waste management system that will cover bulkier e-waste such as refrigerators, washing machines and televisions, and it will be implemented by 2021.

Consumers will find it easier to recycle their electrical and electronic waste under the new system. They may drop items off at collection points located within retail stores or have them picked up via the retailers’ services.

Manufacturers of electrical and electronic products will be responsible for the collection and proper treatment of e-waste through the Extended Producer Responsibility approach. They will have to fulfil collection targets set by the NEA and ensure that the unwanted electronic equipment collected are sent for proper recycling and disposal.

They will also have to engage Producer Responsibility Organisations, which can be commercial companies or the manufacturers themselves, to collect discarded e-waste, regardless of the brand or purchase date.

CONSUMERS WANT E-WASTE BINS AT VOID DECKS

Consumers interviewed by TODAY said that the Renew bins by StarHub are still not widely available enough.

Media professional Rachelle Lee, 28, said that she and her husband had to drive from their home in Chua Chua Kang to Jurong “just for the bin”. Once, she had to leave a box of LED lights on top of a bin.

E-waste recycling bins should be placed at void decks of housing estates, like the blue recycling bins for plastic, paper, metal and glass, she added.

Calling the lack of awareness of the bins “failed marketing”, civil servant Koh Hong Wei, 30, agreed with Ms Lee. “(Because) most e-waste will be thrown out from home...(if) you have them at malls, also not much (of a) point,” he said.

Ms Lim Wensu, 30, who is unemployed, would like the Renew programme to accept alkaline batteries.

Professor Seeram Ramakrishna, who heads the circular economy taskforce at the National University of Singapore, proposed that one way to improve accessibility of the bins is to create Internet or mobile applications that allow people to call e-waste collectors and handlers when necessary.

Apathy among consumers as well as business costs also pose challenges.

Singapore Environment Council’s executive director Jen Teo said that there could be more incentives for recycling companies to collect e-waste from small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

“Unlike SMEs, multinational corporations typically have existing contracts with recycling companies to dispose of large amounts of e-waste,” Ms Teo said.

As e-waste management is “labour-intensive”, Prof Ramakrishna said that “companies without economies of scale will find it a challenge to sustain”.

“E-waste is a new challenge for all countries including Singapore, and optimum and customised technologies are to be further developed. Current treatment plants are limited by the capacities and range of technology solutions,” he added.

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Indonesia: Elephant calf dies 4 months after being wounded by trap

Hotli Simanjuntak The Jakarta Post 25 Sep 18;

A 15-month-old elephant named Amirah died four months after she severely injured her leg in a wire trap, despite receiving routine medical treatment.

She died of an internal organ complication caused by severe distress and acute dehydration. She had been receiving treatment at the Elephant Training Center in Saree, Aceh Besar, Aceh.

Amirah, also called Mey, was found injured in Geumpang, Pidie regency on May 3 this year. Amira was left behind by her herd and the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (Aceh BKSDA) took her to the center and treated her wounded leg, which was almost completely torn off.

Agency head Sapto Aji Prabowo said on Monday that Amirah's wound did not cause her death, which had healed completely. He suspected she died because her liver and kidney was not functioning well.

“Amira’s health had been in poor condition since we brought her here. She suffered from stress and malnutrition,” Sapto said.

Amira had received medical treatment from a joint team comprising Aceh BKSDA and the Syiah Kuala University’s Medical School for four months.

Veterinarian Rosa Rika Wahyuni, who had been taking care of Amirah, said she suffered from stress because she was separated from her mother and herd, which worsened her health. The stress made Amirah vulnerable to diarrhea and other diseases.

“We tried hard, but it was not enough to save the elephant,” said Rosa. (evi)

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Indonesia: Plastics make up 37 percent of garbage polluting Indonesian seas

Antara 25 Sep 18;

Probolinggo, E. Java (ANTARA News) - Around 37 percent of 1.2 million tons of garbage polluting Indonesian seas are plastics, which could not easily be decomposed, a government official said here on Tuesday.

Director General of Sea Pollution Control at the Environment and Forestry Ministry MR Karliansyah said plastic made up around 37 percent of 1.2 million tons of garbage in the country`s seas .

"Sea garbage has become a world problem and plastic garbage is the most dangerous as very many fishes in the sea found to have eaten plastics," Karliansyah said, adding the plastic was found when the fish bellies were split open.

Karliansyah, who was here to attend the ceremony of commemorating the Environment Day highlighted with "Coastal Clean Up" activity on the Binor beach, said his information was based on a survey by the Environment and Forestry Ministry in October 2017 in 18 coastal districts areas and cities.

The finding, however, showed that the condition was by far not as bad as said by a French researcher that Indonesia was the second largest contributor to sea garbage in the world, he said.

The result of the survey negates the allegation, he said, adding "the condition in Indonesia is still quite good despite the plastic garbage."

He said 50-70 percent of the sea garbage came from on shore and the rest from the sea itself such as from ships.

"We will continue to carry out evaluation that we have data in two consecutive years and as part of the program to achieve the government target of making Indonesia free from plastic garbage in 2025," he said.

He said the Coast Clean Up activity would be made regular by the local people to serve as an example for other coastal areas that would make people more aware of the importance of keeping the sea clean

Head of the East Java Environment Office Dyah Susilowati said she appreciates the local people involved in cleaning up the coast and said she would seek to make the activity routine in the province.

Reporting A Malik Ibrahim
Editing by Yoseph Hariyadi
Editor: Heru Purwanto

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