Malaysia: Floods in Terengganu, Kelantan and Sabah

Terengganu floods -- 27 schools closed, over 3,000 evacuated
SHARANPAL SINGH RANDHAWA The Star 22 Jan 17;

KUALA TERENGGANU: The worsening floods that hit again in many parts of the state has forced the closure of 27 schools in five districts.

State Education Department director Shafruddin Ali Hussin said in a statement Sunday that the closure affected 5,824 students and 681 teachers.

Fourteen of the schools were located in Hulu Terengganu, nine in Setiu, two in Besut and one each in Dungun and Kemaman.

"On Sunday morning, we had decided that due to the worsening floods, these schools had to be closed.

"Many of the schools had been inundated by flood waters. Some roads linking to the schools had been cut off while other schools were used as evacuation centres," he said.

He added that those who arrived at the schools were allowed to return home for their safety.

In Hulu Terengganu, the affected schools are SK Tengkawang, SK Matang, SK Kua, SK Bukit Tadok, SK Lubok Periuk, SK Tg Ampuan Intan, SMA Mahmudiah, SM Imtiaz Kuala Berang, SK K Ping, SK Getang, SMK Kuala Jenderis, SK Teris, SK Padang Setebu and SK Kuala Jenderis.

As of 8am on Sunday, the total number of flood victims was 3,998 in four districts.

According to the statistics from the state Civil Defence Force, Besut recorded the most evacuees at 1,398 from 343 families in 30 evacuation centres.

Hulu Terengganu was next in line with 1,386 victims from 497 families in 19 centres.

Setiu recorded 1,070 victims from 286 families housed in 26 evacuation centres, while Kemaman had 144 victims from 40 families placed in six centres.


13 schools in Terengganu closed due to floods
SHARANPAL SINGH RANDHAWA The Star 21 Jan 17;

SETIU: Thirteen schools in Terengganu will be closed on Sunday after four districts were affected by floods.

State Education, Science, Technology and Transformation Committee chairman A. Latiff Awang said the four districts were Setiu, Hulu Terengganu, Besut and Kemaman.

Some 2,679 students and 307 teachers were involved.

"Of the eight primary schools in Setiu, six will be closed after it was inundated by floodwaters while two more will be used as evacuation centres.

"The six schools inundated by flood waters were SK Kampung Besut, SK Chalok, SK Langkap, SK Kampung Buloh, SK Sungai Las and SK Kampung Bukit.

"The other two schools which will be used as evacuation centres are SK Alur Lek Kasar and SK Merbau Menyusut," he said.

In Hulu Terengganu, A. Latiff said the schools involved were SK Tengkawang and SK Matang; SK Padang Kubu in Kemaman while the two schools in Besut were SK Kampung Nangka and SK Tembila.


Terengganu flood situation deteriorates, 4,449 evacuated this morning
ZARINA ABDULLAH New Straits Times 22 Jan 17;

KUALA TERENGGANU: Flooding in the state has reached a critical level with the number of flood evacuees skyrocketing to 4,449 people from 1,277 families, and 17 more relief centres being opened in four districts this morning. As of 7am, the state flood watch Welfare Department portal reported that 91 relief centres are now in operation.

This morning’s numbers are an increase from 3,465 people from 959 families who moved to 74 relief centres last night.

The portal states that the worst-affected district is Besut with 1,747 evacuees from 435 families who are staying at 36 relief centres, compared with 1,693 people from 427 families evacuated last night.

In Setiu, the number of evacuees rose to 1,172 from 302 families who are housed at 30 relief centres, compared with last night. Hulu Terengganu has also seen a rise to 1,386 victims from 497 families taking shelter at 19 relief centres, compared to 739 victims from 250 families at 11 relief centres last night. In Kemaman, the number of victims rose to 144 people from 44 families at six relief centres.


Terengganu braces for fourth wave of floods
SHARANPAL SINGH RANDHAWA The Star 22 Jan 17;

SETIU: The state is once again being hit by floods – the fourth wave in less than two months – and the people have been told to prepare for the worst.

State Disaster Management Committee secretary Mejar Amirsarifudin Zalman said the floods this time might be as bad as the third wave that hit from Dec 31 to Jan 9, which saw some 13,400 victims evacuated.

The first wave was from Nov 29 to Dec 1, followed by the second from Dec 26 to 28. The current wave started on Friday.

“The number of evacuees may go as high as the previous wave. The Meteorological Department has issued orange and red alerts to some districts with moderate and heavy rains predicted in the next few days.

“This is not to scare the public but to get them to be prepared for any eventuality,” he said.

Amirsarifudin added that all respective agencies were on standby with many of the personnel’s leave frozen.

“We hope that the situation does not reach a critical level although our team is ready.”

As of 6pm yesterday, four districts were affected by floods, with 3,316 victims from 908 families placed at 70 evacuation centres. Besut topped with 1,693 evacuees; Setiu (904); Hulu Terengganu (631); and Kemaman (88).

Areas here, especially in Kampung Nyatoh and Kampung Permaisuri, also saw many low-lying areas inundated. Villagers were seen moving their belongings to a safer place and getting prepared to move to the evacuation centres.

For many, it was the second time in two weeks that their homes were flooded, an experience that Rozali Jusoh, 67, found very tiring for him and his wife.

“The family had just come back from staying at the relief centre for five days and now we are going back again.

“It’s quite a task to carry the furniture and belongings, then clean the whole house and put back all the things, only to repeat the entire process and worse, all of a sudden,” he said.

He was also worried about his children’s safety as the flood waters rose quickly to 2m.

The floods also saw access to 19 roads in Hulu Terengganu, Setiu and Besut cut off.

Thirteen schools in Terengganu will be closed today with some 2,679 students and 307 teachers in the four districts affected.

Kelantan floods worsen considerably; almost 12,000 people evacuated
BERNAMA New Straits Times 22 Jan 17;

KOTA BARU: The number of flood victims in Kelantan shot up to 11,748 from 3,255 families as at 8am today, compared to 9,220 from 2,587 families at 8pm last night.

According to the Social Welfare Department, through their infobanjir application, all the flood victims are currently housed at 65 relief centres in seven districts in the state.

Out of the total, 5,109 people from 1,334 families are housed in 24 relief centres in Kota Baru, 2,507 people (678 families) are at 10 relief centres in Pasir Puteh, 2,086 people (665 families) are at 21 relief centres in Pasir Mas, and 1,238 people (356 families) are at three centres in Tumpat.

Additionally, 522 people from 141 families are housed at a relief centre in Bachok, 197people (56 families) are in four centres in Machang, and 89 people (25 families) are in two centres in Tanah Merah.

Meanwhile, according to the portal ebanjir.kelantan.gov.my, the water level at Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang has remained at 10.11 metres as at 8am. The river’s danger level is nine metres. -- BERNAMA


Over 3,000 evacuated as floods worsen in Kelantan
The Star 21 Jan 17;

KOTA BARU: The floods have worsened in Kelantan, requiring the evacuation of 3,232 people in seven districts as at 8am Saturday.

The evacuees, from 866 families, are being housed at 35 relief centres in the districts of Kota Baru, Pasir Mas, Pasir Puteh, Bachok, Machang, Tanah Merah and Tumpat, according to the Social Welfare Department's "infobanjir" app.

The data on the number of evacuees, families and relief centres is as follows:

Kota Baru - 1,345 evacuees from 341 families at 10 relief centres.

Pasir Mas - 688 evacuees from 185 families at 13 relief centres.

Pasir Puteh - 632 evacuees from 180 families at six relief centres.

Bachok - 295 evacuees from 86 families at one relief centre.

Machang - 101 evacuees from 28 families at one relief centre.

Tanah Merah - 99 evacuees from 27 families at three relief centres.

Tumpat - 72 evacuees from 19 families at one relief centre.

The Kelantan state government portal reported that the level of Sungai Golok at Rantau Panjang was 9.95m at 8am, which is above the warning point of 9m. - Bernama


CNY festivities ruined for Kelantan folk
SYED AZHAR The Star 22 Jan 17;

KOTA BARU: Kuang Lena Yien stood rooted to the spot as flood waters started rising during a bout of heavy rain in Wakaf Baru here.

Within minutes, it gushed into her double-storey terrace house, ruining everything in its path.

The frightening experience on Friday evening was still fresh in her mind when she spoke yesterday.

“Almost everything on the lower floor is damaged. Luckily, I managed to drive my car to higher ground.

“It happened very fast. There was nothing we could do,” said the businesswoman.

Kuang, 46, said the incident has spoiled her mood to celebrate Chinese New Year.

She said her housing area was flood-prone and the residents were always prepared every monsoon season.

“But this year, the flood was exceptionally high, causing much losses.

“Now, it is cleaning time and we need to put our celebrations on hold,” she said.

Heavy rain was still lashing the area and as a safety precaution, Kuang has prepared a rubber dinghy for her son, aged seven.

In Melur, Pasir Puteh, Mandy Aw Siew Sin’s shophouse was inundated by flood water that reached 0.3m high.

“This has never happened before, as long as I can remember,” said Aw, who lives with her 65-year-old mother.

“During the major flood in 2014, the water was not even near this level.”

Still visibly shaken, the mother of two girls said she would be spending the next week cleaning the house of mud and debris.

Aw said that although it has been raining the past few days, it was the norm during the monsoon season.

“But this time it is crazy. My house is just 100m from the river.

“Never before has the water risen so fast and gushed in,” she said, adding that they waited more than 12 hours for the water to recede.

On the coming Chinese New Year, Aw said there would be no celebrations as most of her furniture and electrical appliances were damaged.

The overcast skies suggest that the rain is not about to go away anytime soon.

As at 8pm yesterday, more than 9,220 residents from Tumpat, Tanah Merah, Pasir Puteh, Pasir Mas, Machang, Bachok and here have been evacuated.

They are being sheltered in about 57 flood relief centres.

The level of Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang is 10.11m, above the 9m danger mark.


Kelantan submerged once more following three days of rain
KALBANA PERIMBANAYAGAM New Straits Times 21 Jan 17;

KOTA BARU: More flood relief centres have been opened following three days of continuous heavy rain in parts of Kelantan. As of 9am today, 32 relief centres were opened state-wide, sheltering 2,744 flood victims evacuated from Pasir Putih, Bachok, Pasir Mas, Tanah Merah, Kota Baru, Tumpat and Machang.

State Welfare Department director Mohammad Hanafi Maulud said the 2,744 victims are from 744 families whose houses were deemed unsafe after being inundated by floodwaters since yesterday. He said the number of evacuees is expected to increase if the rain does not stop by this afternoon.

“It rained throughout the night, and more low-lying areas have been inundated.

"The latest centres opened at 6am today are in Gual Periok and Bunut Susu in Pasir Mas, with 11 and 116 victims respectively,” Hanafi said.

There are 13 relief centres in Pasir Mas, followed by nine in Kota Baru – making them the districts with the most evacuees, with 675 and 1,088, respectively.

Hanafi said that they are currently in the midst of opening another centre in Pasir Mas at Sekolah Bayu Lalang.

Meanwhile, checks on the water at Sungai Golok showed that it has exceeded the danger level by 0.95 metres, causing it to overflow in Rantau Panjang; while in Pasir Putih, Sungai Semarak has reached the warning level of 2.45 metres, just short of the danger level.

Sungai Kelantan however, showed no significant change. Several roads in Machang and Pasir Mas have been closed due to the flash floods.

Among them are Jalan Kampung Pek-Paloh Rawa, Jalan Pangkal Gong-Kemubu, Jalan Machang-Kota Bharu in Machang and Jalan Bukit Tuku-Batu Hampar, Jalan Lubok Jong-Pohon Tanjong and Jalan Pengkalan Rakit in Pasir Mas.


Sabah floods worsen with almost 3,000 villagers evacuated
BERNAMA New Straits Times 20 Jan 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Twelve evacuation centres are sheltering 2,957 flood victims from 936 families in Kota Marudu and Pitas as of 7am today.

Sabah State Disaster Management Committee secretariat chief Col Mulliadi Al-Hamdi Ladin said 2,880 from 910 families are staying at 11 evacuation centres in Kota Marudu, while 77 from 26 families are at another centre in Pitas.

He said the water at Sungai Bengkoka and Sungai Kebatasan also remain at the danger level of 4.0 metres and 6.07 metres respectively.

In Sandakan, 37 residents in Kampung Binsulong, Paitan, were moved to Dewan Serbaguna Kampung Binsulong when flood hit the village at around 9pm last night.

Sandakan Fire and Rescue operations officer Haikal Jammy Ngali Abdullah said the evacuation ended at 12.11pm. -- BERNAMA


Floods return to northern Sabah, rivers reach danger levels
OLIVIA MIWIL New Straits Times 22 Jan 17;

KOTA MARUDU: Rising flood waters forced the evacuation of up to 427 people from 100 families from here, Pitas and Paitan by 9.30am today. Malaysian Civil Defence Force state director Colonel Muliadi Al-Hamdi Ladin said one temporary relief centre has been set up in every district.

"The water level at Sungai Bongon is at 7.42 meters and at Sungai Bandau, 6.9 meters, which are the alert levels.

"In Pitas, Sg Batasan is at 6.45 metres and Sg Bengkoka is at 4.23 metres – both are at the danger level," he said in a statement, adding that 18 villages in Pitas were affected, while eight roads are not safe to be used. He added that rain is continuing to pour in all three districts.

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Indonesia to fight against forest fires starting early this year

Haeril Halim, Rizal Harahap and Hans Nicholas Jong The Jakarta Post 21 Jan 17;

January is not over yet, but two regencies in Riau province have already declared emergency alert statuses to tackle any potential forest fires, which could get out of control when the weather gets drier in upcoming months.

The decision made by Rokan Hulu regency and Dumai city to raise their alert statuses, which would allow the central government to send aid to the regions, has been lauded by government officials in Jakarta.

Indonesia has learned the hard way that failing to act as fast as possible to address forest fires would cost it dearly. In 2015, massive forest fires ravaged Sumatra and Kalimantan and caused diplomatic tensions as cities in Malaysia and Singapore, were covered by smoky haze for weeks.

With the weather in 2017 expected to be drier than in 2016, the country could not afford to risk another disaster.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has called on other fire-prone regions in Sumatra and Kalimantan to follow the initiatives of Rokan and Dumai before the dry season starts in late January and runs until the end of March, the period hot spots could quickly turn into fires if treated late.

A break from fires is expected to take place between April and May this year when rain pours down on the country, but threats of fire could recur from June to late October in haze-producing regions like Sumatra, Riau and Kalimantan, said BNPT spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

By setting emergency standby statuses early, regions could ask for aid from the central government to tackle very small fires to prevent them from growing bigger when the dry season begins.

Sutopo said that the BNPB had improved its early warning system to detect the emergence of hot spots across the country and had asked the Regional Mitigation Agencies (BPBD) to prepare artificial rain as an anticipatory move ahead of the dry season.

“We have instructed the BPBDs to urge local administrations to declare emergency alert statuses before it is too late to do so. It is a good move that Rokan and Dumai took the initiative. We hope that other regions follow suit. Next week, there will be a meeting at the State Palace to discuss preparations to prevent forest fires,” Sutopo told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Sutopo said that the BNPB could directly send helicopters to regions that had declared emergency alert statuses as an early anticipation to prevent forest fires.

The head of the Rokan Hulu BPBD, Aceng Herdiana, said that the status was effective from Jan. 16 to May 31. He said in the last 10 days hot spots detected in a number of districts were identified to be forest and land fires.

“That’s why the regency administration considers it necessary to declare the emergency siaga alert status,” Aceng said.

The Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) had also been routinely reporting that the rainfall in a number of regions in Riau would be very limited until April 2017, he said.

Such indicators, he said, had to be watched, because it meant that the potential for fire in several fireprone districts was increasing.

Riau BPBD head Edwar Sanger said that he expected the Riau provincial administration would also soon declare a standby emergency status as an early measure to prevent hot spots from expanding.

“The objective is to maintain the situation. The haze-free achievement made by Riau in 2016 has to be maintained this year,” he said.

He said the emergency alert status on the provincial level would be announced on Monday during a meeting led by Riau Governor Arsyadjuliandi Rachman.

Meanwhile, the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s fire mitigation director Raffles Brotestes Panjaitan said the alert status was declared when the fires were still under control and it would only be raised to “emergency” status when fires became massive.

Raffles added that the status could be raised quickly, unlike in 2015 when some regional governments were too late raising their alert statuses, resulting in late responses.

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Indonesia: Sumatra mill destroying environment, say activists

Straits Times 20 Jan 17;

JAKARTA • Green groups said yesterday that one of the world's biggest pulp mills, which started production on Indonesia's Sumatra island last month, was causing enormous environmental damage.

The groups said the US$3 billion (S$4.3 billion) mill belonging to industry giant Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) was sourcing raw materials mostly from trees grown on drained peatlands, where haze-belching fires occur every year.

The facility produces a raw material that can later be made into paper.

Ms Woro Supartinah, whose non-governmental organisation was among the groups, called on the government to "promote a broader set of interests", rather than just helping big firms reap profits.

"Restoring peatlands will generate economic growth and environmental security over the long term," she said.

The groups included Wetlands International, Eyes on the Forest and Rainforest Action Network.

APP said it aims to responsibly raise production capacity. In a statement, it said its pulpwood suppliers were bound by its conservation policies, which include committing to "no new development on peatland since February 2013, as well as the implementation of responsible peatland best management practice".

Vast areas of peatland, which store carbon, have been drained in recent years by using networks of canals to convert them into plantations for trees to produce pulp and palm oil.

The drained peatlands emit the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, and the arid tracts of land created are vulnerable to going up in flames.

Huge fires erupt on and around plantation land every year in Sumatra, much of them in peat.

The fires in 2015 were among the worst on record and cloaked South-east Asia in toxic haze for weeks, causing many to fall ill, schools to close and flights to be cancelled.

About three-quarters of the plantations supplying APP's mill are on peatlands, said the green groups.

The government has stepped up efforts to protect the peatlands, especially after the 2015 fires, which according to the World Bank caused US$16 billion in losses for the archipelago's economy.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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The skin cure fad threatening Myanmar's elephants

Channel NewsAsia 21 Jan 17;

MT KYAIKHTEEYOE, Myanmar: Under the shadow of Myanmar's famed "Golden Rock" punters haggle for the latest traditional medicine cure - slices of skin from the country's fast disappearing wild elephants sold for a few dollars a square inch.

A set of stairs winds behind one of the Buddhist country's most holy sites to a maze of shops openly selling everything from pieces of ivory and tiger's teeth to vials of bear oil.

But there is a new fad luring devotees of traditional medicine.

"Elephant's skin can cure skin diseases like eczema," one shop owner, who requested anonymity, told AFP next to a counter brimming with porcupine quills and snake skins.

"You burn pieces of skin by putting them in a clay pot. Then you get the ash and mix it with coconut oil to apply on the eczema."

He breaks off to talk to a potential buyer, who baulks at the price tag of 5,000 kyat ($3.65) per square inch (6.5 square centimetres) of elephant skin.

Another young man touting his wares nearby promised a paste made from ground up elephant teeth would "cure pimples and remove black spots".

"Your face will be smooth and white after you use it," he said grinning.

Elephant poaching in Myanmar has jumped tenfold in recent years, the government said this week, driven by growing demand for ivory, hide and body parts.

Increasingly carcasses are being found stripped of their skin, the hide used for traditional medicine or reportedly turned into beads for jewellery.

Some of it is sold in local markets, but the vast majority goes to feed neighbouring China's inexhaustible taste for exotic animals.

Myanmar's wild elephant population is thought to have almost halved over the past decade to around 2,000-3,000.

The animals are killed or smuggled alive to be used in the tourist industry in neighbouring Thailand.

"We're in the middle of a crisis," said Antony Lynam, regional adviser at the Wildlife Conservation Society.

"If we're losing this number it can't be too many more years before wild elephants are gone."

- Weak laws -

Elephants are one of dozens of endangered species being trafficked through Myanmar, which has become a key hub in the $20 billion a year global wildlife trade.

Watchdog TRAFFIC claims the country has "the largest unregulated open markets for tiger parts" in Southeast Asia, which experts say also sell everything from African rhino horn and clouded leopard skins to pangolins.

Much of the trade runs through the country's lawless eastern periphery, controlled by a sophisticated network of criminals who are thought to be armed and funded by powerful "kingpins" in China.

It is lucrative business: in Mong La, on Myanmar's eastern border, sales of ivory alone are thought to rake in tens of millions of dollars a year.

Hunting endangered animals is illegal in Myanmar, which is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

But the maximum fine for anyone caught is less than $60, while laws are poorly enforced.

"As a result the number of cases that we see in terms of wildlife crimes are really, really low," said Giovanni Broussard, regional coordinator at the UN's drug and crime enforcement agency.

This week the government pledged to strengthen the law on killing elephants and clamp down on the trade in ivory and body parts.

At a regional level, Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN has set up a wildlife enforcement network to stop trafficking and seizures of endangered animal products have been on the rise.

Last month China also said it would ban the ivory trade by the end of 2017.

Still, experts say Myanmar has a long way to go to save its elephants.

"There is a lack of political will and society as a whole is not really interested," said Vincent Nijman, a professor at Oxford Brookes University who has studied wildlife trafficking in Myanmar for a decade.

- AFP

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Sea levels could rise by six to nine metres over time, new study warns

Evidence that continental ice sheets are sensitive to slight increases in ocean temperature suggests ocean levels will continue to rise for centuries
Hannah Devlin The Guardian 19 Jan 17;

Sea surface temperatures today are strikingly similar to those during the last interglacial period, when sea levels were six to nine metres above their present height, according to research.

The findings provide compelling evidence that Greenland and Antarctica’s continental ice sheets are highly sensitive to slight increases in ocean temperatures, and raise the prospect of sea levels continuing to rise for many centuries.

Previous research had shown that sea levels rose by several metres during the last interglacial (LIG), between 129,000 to 116,000 years ago, but until now the picture of how sea temperatures had varied over the same period had remained patchy.

The latest research, based on marine sediment core records from 83 sites, concludes that sea temperatures towards the end of the LIG were comparable to those seen today.

Rob DeConto, a climate scientist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, who was not involved in the research said: “This tells us that the big ice sheets are really sensitive to just a little bit of warming. That’s a really powerful message.”

During the LIG, the Earth’s climate warmed due to a shift in the tilt of the planet, which led to average temperatures around 2C warmer than today. The hippopotamus was found as far north as the river Thames and forests reached well into the Arctic Circle.

Scientists view the period as an important reference for how the Earth’s oceans and atmosphere might respond to the current warming trend in the future.

The study, published in the journal Science, compared records from 83 marine sediment core sites to data from 1870-1889 (pre-industrial times) and 1995-2014.


Records of both the local surface temperatures and global sea levels are locked into the layers of sediment. Surface-feeding plankton act as natural thermometers as the ratio of magnesium to calcium accumulated in their shells depends on the water temperature. Another plankton species acts as a gauge for the extent of continental ice shelves. The ratio of two different forms of oxygen (O16 and O18) is different in continental ice sheets and seawater, so by tracking these ratios in the plankton, scientists can work out how much ice there was at a given point in time.

The analysis found that, at the onset of the LIG 129,000 years ago, the global ocean sea surface temperatures were similar to the 1870-1889 average. By 125,000 years ago, these had increased by 0.5C, reaching a temperature indistinguishable from the 1995-2014 average.

Sea levels respond directly to global temperatures, both through the melting of ice shelves and through the expansion of water as it warms. However, the process happens slowly, so the full extent of sea level rises may only become apparent hundreds or thousands of years into the future.

Professor Andrew Watson, a climate scientist at the University of Exeter, said: “The good news is that with luck it will continue to rise slowly, so that we have time to adapt, but the bad news is that eventually all our present coastal city locations will be inundated.”

A crucial unknown is the rate at which the ice sheets will melt in the future, and the latest findings do not have a direct bearing on this question, according to Jeremy Hoffman, a climate scientist at the Science Museum of Virginia and the paper’s lead author.

During the LIG, warming occurred over more than 10,000 years, meaning that changes to the global ice sheets could happen in parallel. The current warming trend has occurred over decades, and it is not clear how far behind the melting of ice will lag.

The UN estimates that global sea levels will rise between 13cm and 68cm by 2050 and a high profile paper by DeConto’s group last year predicted a two metre rise by the end of the century.

Louise Sime, head of palaeoclimate research at the British Antarctic Survey, said: “The rates of ice sheet loss are really difficult to predict. Estimates are anything from 200 to 7,000 years.”

The Science paper also highlights apparent deficits in most climate models, which fail to replicate the warming of the oceans seen in the sediment cores when they are applied to this period.

“This refined picture really clearly identifies that the modelling experiments do not create enough warming during the last interglacial,” said Hoffman.

One explanation is that the models are underestimating feedback mechanisms in the Earth’s system, such as the reduction of sunlight that is reflected back as ice melts, leading to an underestimation of how quickly ocean temperatures ramp up.

“We think there might be some process missing that we’re just not capturing,” said Hoffman. “If we’re missing something from this period of the Earth’s history, what might we be missing from future projections?”

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Best of our wild blogs: 20 Jan 17

Introducing OCELLUS!
Entomological Network of Singapore

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Guidelines being developed to protect marine animals from recreational boaters: NParks

Monica Kotwani Channel NewsAsia 19 Jan 17;

SINGAPORE: The authorities and non-governmental organisations are working together to develop a set of guidelines for recreational boaters to minimise the impact of their activities on the rich marine life found in Singapore waters.

In a statement to Channel NewsAsia, National Parks Board (NParks) said it is working with interest groups under the recently formed Marine Turtle Working Group, which also comprises academics and nature enthusiasts.

Channel NewsAsia understands the process is still at an early stage, as the working group was only formed towards the end of 2016. But recommendations could include the responsible manoeuvring of vessels, such as maintaining a safe speed when boaters see marine animals such as turtles surfacing and keeping a distance of about 50m.

In the statement, NParks said it is already working with the Singapore Boating Industry Association and marinas to educate recreational boaters on how they can reduce their impact. “Through regular engagement with boating marinas, we encourage boaters to reduce their speed near shallow coastal areas as that can result in resuspension of sediment which can aggravate marine life.”

NParks said it also encourages boaters to keep a lookout for distressed marine animals such as turtles, and inform relevant authorities. But Stephen Beng, who chairs Nature Society Singapore’s Marine Conservation Group, said not all marinas are proactive about educating their members on marine conservation.

“We have a large boating community and everyone has to practise responsible behaviour in terms of speed, slowing down when they do see animals,” he said.

Mr Beng, who is part of the working group, went a step further, saying there should be guidelines for all stakeholders. "This helps businesses - from shipping companies and marinas to fishing tours and scuba diving operators - to adopt responsible practices."

“Education can also come via civil society and the scientific community by collecting data on the behaviour and movement patterns of these reptiles and mammals so we can make aware to the boating community that, say, this channel is a common channel for turtles and dolphins so maybe slow down,” said Mr Beng.

SINGAPORE WATERS: TEEMING WITH MARINE LIFE

The waters around Singapore are some of the busiest in the world, with hundreds of commercial ships passing through and as many as 1,000 ships in its port. Despite the activity, marine conservationists like Ria Tan said the waters are a haven for marine wildlife.

“In the north you have seagrasses, it’s a bit mucky, muddy and silty, which some animals love and you can only find them in such estuaries. Whereas other kinds of animals require higher salinity so things like corals are found in the south,” said Ms Tan.

Larger animals such as marine turtles and dolphins have also been sighted in Singapore waters, and Ms Tan said this is a result of good regulations. “The Maritime and Port Authority is very strict about dumping of oil and other kinds of rubbish,” she said. “Every ship parked in port gets visited by garbage barges to collect trash just like how we get the garbage trucks at our homes.”

ACCIDENTS INVOLVING MARINE LIFE STILL OCCUR

But from time to time, nature enthusiasts come across instances that highlight the risks posed by ships and boats to the marine life that inhabits local waters. Earlier in January, a dead sea turtle washed ashore at Changi Beach with a deep gash across its shell, believed to have been caused by a ship's or boat's propeller.

Mr Beng said such incidents are uncommon. He also said oil spills, such as the one that occurred recently as a result of a vessel collision off Pasir Gudang, are also a concern.

“Young turtles go to convergence points and that’s where oil gathers and when it washes up to shore, it devastates the nesting areas or nesting sandy beaches. When it covers the corals, the source of marine life, it also affects what marine life like turtles ingest,” he said.

Mr Beng said the authorities responded quickly to the oil spill. But the incident also offered an opportunity to see whether lessons can be learned from what happened.

"There can be a multi-stakeholder process to assess the immediate and long-term damage to sensitive marine habitats, like coral reefs and mangroves. This allows our scientific and civil communities to accurately account for stressors to the marine environment," he said.

Mr Beng also said there needs to be better awareness among shipping companies about the environmental impact of their business. “Shipping companies can have policies where they require vessel masters to navigate cautiously when there are marine animals such as dolphins or sea turtles,” he said.

He said harbour masters that bring ships into port can also keep the safety of marine animals in mind.

- CNA/mo

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Dengue cases may increase in next few months

Channel NewsAsia 19 Jan 16;

SINGAPORE: The number of dengue cases could increase in the next few months and peak in the middle of the year, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Thursday (Jan 19).

A key concern is the higher population of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in the past month. NEA’s Gravitrap surveillance system detected about 60 per cent more Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in December 2016 compared to October that same year.

Another factor which may lead to an increase in dengue cases is the high diversity of circulating dengue serotypes or strains. DENV-2 dominated much of 2016, but it is uncertain which serotype will prevail in 2017.

"Historically, a change in predominant dengue virus serotype has been followed by a spike in dengue cases," said NEA. "The Ministry of Health and NEA will continue to monitor the situation closely."

So far this year, the number of dengue cases has been relatively low. According to latest data on NEA’s website, 202 cases have been recorded since the start of the year.

“If left unchecked, the high Aedes aegypti population may lead to a surge in dengue cases in 2017,” said NEA in a media release. “NEA therefore urges all members of the public and stakeholders to stay vigilant, and work together as a community to stem dengue transmission.”

DENGUE SITUATION IN 2016

Last year, there were a total of 13,115 dengue cases, far less than the projected number of more than 30,000 cases that experts had feared.

After a surge in the number of cases in early 2016, the situation was brought under control and remained so for the rest of the year, said NEA. It brought forward the annual Do the Mozzie Wipeout Campaign to February to tackle the problem.

In 2016, NEA uncovered more than 16,000 instances of mosquito breeding habitats and about 3,900 households were fined for mosquito breeding, said NEA. This followed more than 1.2 million inspections, including 7.400 conducted on construction sites.

STAY VIGILANT: NEA

With Chinese New Year approaching, NEA is urging residents to prevent mosquito breeding, such as in ornamental plant containers. It is also reminded homeowners doing spring cleaning to properly dispose of any refuse to avoid discarded material from becoming unintentional mosquito breeding habitats.

Those planning to go overseas should also mosquito-proof their homes before they travel, said NEA. They should also cover all toilet bowls at home.

“Persons infected with dengue should protect themselves from mosquito bites by applying repellent regularly, and those showing symptoms suggestive of dengue should see their doctors early to be diagnosed,” the agency added.

- CNA/ek

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Woman injured after crows attack her

Kimberly Lim, The New Paper AsiaOne 19 Jan 17;

She was in the shower when she heard a scream. Her daughter then told her she saw crows attacking a woman.

The birds targeted the woman's head, and by the time the crows were done, she had to be rushed to Changi General Hospital (CGH).

The Singapore Civil Defence Force told The New Paper it was alerted to the incident at Block 106, Pasir Ris Street 12, on Tuesday at 7.10pm.

A woman in her late 40s was taken to CGH in an ambulance with lacerations on her forehead.

Yesterday, the woman who heard the scream said: "My daughter told me she saw three or four children feeding crows.

"The crows flew around and attacked a woman. There was a lot of blood on the woman's head. The blood had splattered on the ground and she was screaming."

The woman was not the only one attacked that day.

Civil servant Ian Ng, 41, and his parents were also attacked by crows in the vicinity while on their way to a night market.

He said: "I saw a baby crow lying on the ground and four or five big crows perched on shelters and lamp posts. The crows swooped down when people walked into the area. A crow went for my head. I got a shock."

Mr Ng was attacked once while his 77-year-old father was attacked twice.

Fortunately, they did not suffer serious injuries.

The younger Mr Ng said: "The crows attacked us with their beaks, but luckily it was not painful."

He then called the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).

CULLING EXERCISE

Residents told TNP they heard what they thought was the sound of shooting yesterday morning and believed it could have been the authorities conducting a culling exercise.

AVA told TNP it received two calls on crow attacks on Tuesday, and activated its contractor to conduct crow management works.

One crow's nest was removed.

AVA said: "We will continue to monitor the situation, and conduct surveillance and operations within the area.

"The public can do their part by not feeding the birds and ensuring proper food waste disposal. Easily available food sources will encourage the birds to congregate and result in an increase in their numbers, which could result in related nuisance and hygiene issues."

When TNP visited the area yesterday morning, bloodstains were found at the void deck of Block 105.

No crows were spotted.

Mr Chong Joo Chong, 63, a Block 103 resident, said he was attacked by a crow yesterday afternoon.

He told TNP: "A huge crow went for my head thrice. It was aggressive. I saw another man being attacked by two big crows and a small one.

"It felt like someone was pushing my head with a lot of force."

AVA received about 500 calls on crow attacks in 2015 and about 320 last year.

It said the public can call 1800-4761-600 to report crow attacks or crow-related issues.

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Second flash flood at Upper Thomson Road in less than a month

Channel NewsAsia 19 Jan 17;

SINGAPORE: Flash floods hit Upper Thomson Road after heavy rain on Thursday afternoon (Jan 19).

National water agency PUB first issued an alert at 3.44pm, informing the public of flash floods at the junction of Upper Thomson Road and Jalan Lembah Thomson. It added that one lane was affected.

This is the same area which was flooded with knee-deep water on Christmas Eve.

According to alerts sent out by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the flash floods also affected the direction towards the Seletar Expressway after Jalan Pelatina, with congestion until MacRitchie Viaduct.

PUB later issued another alert at about 4pm, saying the flash floods have subsided.

The area is undergoing construction for the Upper Thomson MRT station. An investigation by PUB found that the contractor, Sato Kogyo, had carried out works that affected the public drainage system.

On Tuesday, PUB announced that it would take action against the contractor over the Christmas Eve flash floods under the Sewerage and Drainage Act. The contractor has also been instructed to carry out rectification work to improve the drainage in the area.

Separately, LTA had also instructed Sato Kogyo to expedite the completion of canal widening works, which would improve the problem of recurring flash floods at Jalan Keli.


Upper Thomson hit by second flood in two months
Shops spared but cars affected by knee-high water
Isabelle Liew The New Paper 20 Jan 17;

An "under-sized" drain in Upper Thomson that is currently being expanded to help with flood management was not enough to prevent yesterday's downpour from flooding the area again.

A joint statement from PUB and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it would take until the third quarter of this year for contractor Sato Kogyo to widen the existing canal located along Upper Thomson Road and Jalan Keli.

The statement said Sato Kogyo has been widening it to enhance the drainage system and improve overall flood resilience in the area.

"LTA has also instructed the contractor to expedite the completion of the canal widening along Jalan Keli," it said.

In the meantime, Sato Kogyo has changed the drain covers to facilitate the flow of water, and placed sandbags at several locations to prevent the water from flowing into the shophouses in the area.

PUB had earlier said it would be taking action against Sato Koygo as the temporary diversion drain constructed by the contractor within the worksite of the upcoming Thomson-East Coast Line was found to be under-sized, and the contractor did not inform PUB prior to the commencement of these works.

Yesterday, heavy rain occurred from 3.10pm to 4pm, recording a total rainfall of 59.2mm.

Even with the anti-flood measures, a flash flood occurred at the junction of Upper Thomson Road and Jalan Lembah Thomson for about 20 minutes. No shops were affected.

Store manager of Tomoe Japanese Cuisine, Miss Susan Poon, said several cars parked outside her shop were affected by the knee-high water.

She told The New Paper: "We are lucky our restaurant is on high ground. We see a lot of floods here recently. If there is heavy rain, it is bound to flood. Business is also affected because customers cannot come if there is a flood."

The statement said the flood was from 3.44pm until 4.05pm.The shops near Jalan Keli that were affected by the flood on Christmas Eve, which are located on lower ground, were not affected yesterday.

'NOTHING WE CAN DO'

An employee at ice cream parlour Salted Caramel told TNP their shop has not taken any precautionary measures despite being affected by the flood last month.

She said: "We are worried because if there is a flood, there is nothing we can do. Maybe we will try to use something to block the gaps under the doors."

Mr Jamal Mohammed, 50, an employee at The Roti Prata House, said yesterday's flood was about ankle-deep, but it did not flow into their eatery.

"The rain last month was much heavier (compared to yesterday's), so we knew it wouldn't flood. If the rain is heavier, we would get worried and start moving goods up."

Mr Jason Tan, store manager of Tom Yum Mama, a Thai eatery located along the same stretch, said the restaurant had just opened on Dec 30.

"The flood last month affected the construction (of the shop), but LTA said they would take precautionary measures to prevent floods, so we are not too worried," he said.

Mr Erwin Budiawan, 27, store manager of cafe Badoque, said the sandbags placed by Sato Kogyo had lessened his worries.

He said: "Of course we are scared of flood, but compared to last time, there are more people taking care of it now. We know what to expect.

"But we are still worried that sales will be affected."

None of the shops that TNP spoke to had taken precautionary measures of their own.


Steps taken to curb flooding at Upper Thomson Road
NEO CHAI CHIN Today Online 20 Jan 17;

SINGAPORE — Sato Kogyo, the construction firm whose unauthorised work on the public drainage system contributed to flash floods along Upper Thomson Road on Christmas Eve last year, has changed drain covers to open ones to facilitate the flow of water and has used sandbags to prevent water from flowing into shophouses.

Providing an update after a flash flood struck the area on Thursday (Jan 19), national water agency PUB and the Land Transport Authority said the measures were “temporary improvement works to increase the drainage capacity in the area” since the Dec 24 incident. The sandbags are placed at the edge of the five-foot ways that front the shops along Upper Thomson Road.

Earlier this week, PUB announced that it had discovered unauthorised work on the public drainage system by Sato Kogyo, which is the LTA’s contractor for the Upper Thomson MRT Station project.

Sato Kogyo had constructed an under-sized temporary diversion drain within its worksite, and had not informed PUB before it started the work. The contractor had also altered the public drainage system across Upper Thomson Road, near Lorong Mega, without PUB’s approval and faces sanctions under the Sewerage and Drainage Act.

As intense rain fell over central Singapore on Thursday, a flash flood occurred at the junction of Upper Thomson Road and Jalan Lembah Thomson for about 20 minutes, from 3.44pm to 4.05pm. The Government agencies said 59.2mm of rainfall was recorded at Lower Peirce Reservoir from 3.10pm to 4pm.

But unlike the knee-deep waters on Dec 24 that damaged the equipment of shops such as The Roti Prata House, shophouses nearby were not affected this time.

The LTA said it has instructed Sato Kogyo to speed up the completion of canal-widening along Jalan Keli. Once it is completed early in the third quarter of this year, the area will have better protection against floods.

PUB advised the public to be cautious as flash floods may occur in the event of heavy storms. The public may also report flash floods or check on the flood situation via PUB’s Facebook page, its call centre (1800 2255 782) or its MyWaters mobile app.

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Malaysia: No plastic bag ruling ineffective

SHEILA SRI PRIYA The Star 20 Jan 17;

THE National Solid Waste Management Department does not expect a significant reduction of plastic bags in the landfill following the ban of plastic bags. This is because the public continues to rely on plastic bags to discard their waste.

National Solid Waste Management Department director-general Ismail Mokhtar said plastic bags were still being purchased for waste disposal and discarded in the waste bins.

He revealed this when StarMetro asked him about the effects of the recent ban on plastic bags in the Federal Territories and Selangor.

Ismail said there would have to be a substitute to plastics bags if the local authorities wanted to ensure that their programmes were successful.

“Our department supports any move by anybody to help reduce waste generation in order to protect the environment. However, substitutes to plastic bags that can be reused and easily recycled must be introduced to make sure the programme is successful,” he added.

Ismail said in terms of plastic waste that is recycled, heavier plastic products were more sought after than plastic bags as they gave better returns.

Ismail said the Federal Government had set the goal of reducing solid waste disposal at landfill by 40% within the next three years.

The existing solid waste management methods consist of waste separation from the source, waste treatment at sanitary landfills, thermal treatment and biological treatment. The Government hopes to tap the latest technology for more effective waste-management purposes. This will be done through services that are cost-effective.

The aim is to reduce solid waste at landfills through waste reuse and recovery methods.

The Government hopes to produce refuse-derived fuel through its biological treatment in the future.

Between Sept 1, 2015 and Jan 4, 2017, some of 2,529.25 tonnes of waste were recycled, he said.

The implementation of "Separation at Source" began on June 1, 2016 simultaneously in seven states which adopted the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act 2007 (Act 672).

Besides the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Kedah and Perlis were also among the states that took part.

When asked about the success of the waste separation, Ismail said it was still not very encouraging.

“Based on a study conducted by the Ministry in October 2015, some 80% of Malaysians know about their obligation to separate waste at source. This shows that public awareness on solid waste separation is high.

“However, when it comes to implementation, it is less encouraging,” he said.

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Malaysia: Sabah floods worsen as high tide raise river levels

OLIVIA MIWIL New Straits Times 19 Jan 17;

KOTA MARUDU: There are 2,750 flood victims from 843 families taking shelter at 11 temporary relief centres here as of 7am.

Malaysian Civil Defence Force state director Colonel Muliadi Al-Hamdi said the flood here since Tuesday has affected 18 villages, including Kampung Longob, Kampung Bengkongan, Kg Talantang 1, Kg Mosolog, Kg Magaratong, Kg Rakit, Kg Morion, Kg Piso, Kg Salimandut, Kg Tandek, Kg Asin-Asin, Kg Lotong, Kg Parong, Kg Goruntung, Kg Hatob and Kg Sumbilingon. Schools and multipurpose halls are being used as shelters for evacuees.

“Water at Sungai Bongon has risen to the alert level at 7.5 meters, while Sungai Bandau, at 8.05 metres, has breached the dangerous level.

“Rain stopped at noon yesterday, but water levels increase due to the high tide,” he said in a statement.

Five roads at Kg Beliajung, Kg Longob, Kg Damai, Kg Teritipan and Kg Tandek are still submerged.

There are 50 police officers, 30 firemen, 50 civil defence personnel, and three officers each from the Public Works Department and the Sabah Water Department monitoring the situation and assisting evacuees.

Meanwhile, in Pitas, six villages, namely Kg Sibaung, Kg Pandan, Kg Pandan Mendamai, Kg Pinapak, Kg Perupuk and Kg Nibang are still affected by floodwaters.

Seventy-seven victims, including 11 infants from Kampung Sibaung, have been placed at Sk Pekan 2 Pitas.

The water at Sungai Kebatasan is at 6.07 meters, while Sungai Bengkoka is at 4 meters – both having breached danger levels.

Four roads at Kg Merisimsim, Kg Salimpodon Darat, Kg Sibaung and Kg Pandan Mendamai are submerged in waters of between 0.1 and 0.5 meter.


River levels hold steady in Sabah's flood-hit northern districts
STEPHANIE LEE The Star 19 Jan 17;

KOTA KINABALU: River waters in Sabah’s northern Kota Marudu and Pitas districts remain at dangerous and warning levels as at noon Thursday though rains ceased few hours earlier.

There are still over 2,880 villagers from 900 families at the 11 temporary shelters opened up in various locations in Kota Marudu as their houses are inundated in flood waters.

Seven roads – Jalan Kg Beliajung, Kg Longob, Kg Damai, Kg Teritipan and Kg Tandek and the Jalan Popol and Langkon roundabouts – are still flooded but vehicles can now pass through them.

In Pitas, six villages are still flooded and 77 villagers from 26 households are staying in temporary shelters.

Sabah Civil Defence Department director Kol Mulliadi Al-Hamdi Ladin said 24 villages in the two districts were hit by floods on Wednesday following overnight downpours.

“We are monitoring river levels and doing our best to ensure that affected villagers are moved to higher ground,” he said.

He also called for donations in terms of food and drinks among other essential items to be made if the situation worsens.

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