Johor earthquake victims to get financial aid
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
A total of 62 houses in Johor suffered minor damage following the tremors.
PHOTOS: JIMMY PUAH/FACEBOOK
Follow topic:
JOHOR BAHRU - Nine government buildings and two surau suffered minor damage in the recent earthquakes in Johor.
Mentri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi said that based on reports from the Segamat District Disaster Management Department, a total of 62 houses also suffered similar damage following the tremors.
“However, assessments by the Public Works Department and local authorities confirmed that all these buildings remain safe for use,” he said during a recent Johor state assembly sitting at Bangunan Sultan Ismail in Kota Iskandar.
“We are aware of the burden borne by the families whose homes were affected.
“The state government, with support from the federal government through the National Disaster Management Agency, has agreed to provide aid to the 62 heads of households who lodged police reports, with each receiving up to RM3,000 (S$919).”
Datuk Onn Hafiz added that key facilities belonging to KTM, Johor Water Regulatory Body, Tenaga Nasional, Petroliam Nasional and Ranhill SAJ were also inspected.
He said the series of minor earthquakes that struck Segamat and Batu Pahat between Aug 24 and Sept 3 recorded magnitudes ranging from 2.5 to 4.1.
“Although Johor is not a high-risk state, it still faces geological challenges that must be managed strategically and in an integrated manner,” he added.
“The state government has implemented phased interventions that include short-, medium- and long-term measures.
“These include activating a 24-hour disaster operations room with the involvement of the Civil Defence Force, the police, firefighters, local authorities, as well as cooperation with other technical agencies.”
Mr Onn Hafiz also said Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi has approved an allocation of RM3 million to build two additional early tremor detection stations.
Other initiatives include upgrading the six existing seismology stations in Johor and continuing to monitor fault line movements with the integration of modern technology, including artificial intelligence. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
