Climate change worsens lightning threat

2011/08/27
By LING POH LEAN

A lightning flash lights up the night sky in Putrajaya during a thunderstorm.

Despite the increase in lightning-related cases, awareness among Malaysians of the danger is very much lacking. In the last century, lightning has been recorded as one of the top three environmental-related causes of death in the world, reports LING POH LEAN

THE intensity of lightning is getting more severe due to global warming and climate change, according to the Meteorological Department.

Its deputy director-general Che Gayah Ismail said global warming causes the sea surface temperature to rise, producing more warm and moist air which was the main factor for thunderstorms.

"With the increased amount of warm moist air over the atmosphere, the intensity of thunderstorms and lightning will also become more severe," she told the New Straits Times.

Che Gayah said the Klang Valley recorded a higher number of lightning strikes compared with other areas.

Director of Centre of Excellence on Lightning Protection (CELP), Universiti Putra Malaysia associate professor Dr Mohd Zainal Abidin Ab Kadir said the greater exposure to the sun in countries at the Equator had sped up the vertical updrafts process (the process causing clouds to form), resulting in more rainfall.

"Malaysia is a tropical country which receives annual rainfall of between 2,000mm and 2,500mm. Global warming has probably increased the severity and frequency of thunderstorms.

"The increasing number of factories in the Klang Valley and the chemicals they are releasing also contribute to the thundercloud formation which lead to more thunderstorms in the Klang Valley."

According to the National Lightning Safety Institute of the United States, Subang, Bayan Lepas and Kluang are lightning prone areas with up to 180 to 200 thunderstorm days a year.


"But this is nothing new -- with the country's geographical location at the Equator, global warming and climate change -- we should prepare ourselves for more thunderstorms in the future," said Zainal.

Although Subang, Bayan Lepas and Kluang are prone to lightning, other parts of the country are also experiencing frequent thunderstorm days.

"There is no one area in the country that can be categorised as lightning prone due to global warming. I would say it is more unpredictable nowadays," said Zainal.

With global warming, Malaysia's average temperature has also increased by 0.8 degrees celsius (from 26.5 to 27.3 degrees celsius in the last 35 years.

A study by CELP revealed that many fatalities and damage caused by lightning had been reported between 2008 and last year, with 45 fatalities.

"The study showed that Malaysia was in the higher ranking for lightning injury cases in Asia with most of the fatalities during the month of May. Most of the cases were obtained from media reports, personal accounts, coroner reports and hospital admissions," said Zainal.

He said taking extra precautions could reduce the number of lightning injuries.

"Many are not aware of the damage that lightning can do and they take things for granted. The public should be more informed and be more aware that the country has a high number of lightning strikes."

He said many were neglecting safety measures to prevent lightning accidents.

"There is no way to prevent thunderstorms from happening, but we should at least take the necessary precautions. For instance, installing the right lightning protector on buildings."

Lightning typically occurs during thunderstorms. It happens when upward drafts of warm air (convection currents) carrying moisture interact against other water or ice particles high up inside the thunderstorm clouds, generating static electricity until it reaches an explosive threshold.

Lightning can occur throughout the year, but the number of lightning activities are higher during the inter-monsoon periods -- April, May, September and October.

Of late, the country has been experiencing showers and thunderstorms in the late afternoons and early evenings.

This, according to the Meteorological Department, is expected to continue over the next two to four weeks.

The department also said the west coast states of the peninsula -- southern Perak to western Johor -- would occasionally experience heavy rain and strong gusting winds during predawn and early morning, while Sarawak and western Sabah are expected to experience slightly wetter weather conditions.

With thunderstorms in the forecast, more lightning injury and death cases can be expected. Past records and newspaper archives reveal that several such cases occur almost every year.

In Malaysia, the incidents are no less. In November 2007, two oil storage tanks at the Shell Malaysia refinery in Port Dickson caught fire after they were struck by lightning.

In December 2006, a lightning strike near the Ipoh Selatan exit of the North-South Highway fried the computerised systems.

On April 11, 2009 a fire broke out at Putrajaya Hospital after it was struck by lightning. Staff evacuated all 14 patients in the orthopaedic ward before the ceiling collapsed.

This year alone several cases have been reported.

In February, a man died after he was struck by lightning while returning home after fishing for prawns at Sungai Perak in Teluk Intan and the following month a 24-year-old land surveyor died after he was struck by lightning while surveying the site near an oil palm factory.

And just last Monday, six Indonesians were killed and five others injured when they were struck by lightning in separate incidents in Shah Alam and Hulu Selangor.

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/13plmlt/Article

Waspada potensi dipanah petir

KUALA LUMPUR 23 Ogos 2011 - Kemalangan akibat disambar petir yang kerap berlaku sejak kebelakangan ini dikenal pasti berpunca daripada kedudukan negara ini yang berhampiran garisan khatulistiwa.

Ketua Kluster Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar Majlis Profesor Negara, Prof. Datuk Dr. Ibrahim Komoo berkata, meskipun tidak ada saintis pernah mengkaji fenomena petir di negara ini namun ia dilihat secara kasar sebagai sesuatu yang tinggi risikonya.

"Di kawasan tropika seperti negara kita, keadaan flora seperti pokok bakau telah menggalakkan berlakunya petir dan guruh.

"Tempias keadaan tersebut juga dialami kawasan industrial seperti Lembah Klang dan Shah Alam yang menyaksikan beberapa kematian kerana dipanah petir," katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Enam warga Indonesia maut manakala lima lagi parah dipanah petir dalam dua kejadian berasingan di tapak pembinaan projek perumahan elit berhampiran Jalan Rektor, Persiaran Kerjaya, Glenmarie di sini dan kebun sayur di Sungai Choh, Rawang, Selangor, semalam.

Dalam kejadian yang berlaku di Glenmarie ketika hujan lebat pada pukul 2.40 petang semalam, tiga pekerja binaan maut dan tiga lagi parah

Dua hari sebelum itu, seorang remaja perempuan juga maut akibat dipanah petir dipercayai ketika menggunakan telefon bimbit milik ibunya di sebuah bangsal berhampiran rumahnya di Kampung Belimbing, Tanah Merah, Kelantan.

Ibrahim berkata, kejadian tersebut menunjukkan bahawa keadaan cuaca sejak kebelakangan ini semakin merisaukan dan orang ramai perlu sentiasa berwaspada terhadap potensi bencana alam yang lebih teruk akan berlaku.

"Saya harap orang ramai tidak memandang ringan kejadian seperti itu meskipun kebarangkalian untuk dipanah petir adalah rendah namun ia masih boleh berlaku dan mengancam keselamatan kita," ujarnya.

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=0824&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_15.htm

Tips: How to not get struck by lightning

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011 02:02:00

KUALA LUMPUR: The public is advised to take precautions during storms for safety against lightning.

The Meteorological Department advises that handphones not be used and electrical items be switched off with the plugs to be unplugged during stormy weather.

In view of the current wet weather, the public should also check weather reports if they were going to be outdoors for long, the department said in a statement here Tuesday.

It also advised the people, when outdoors, if they feel static in their hair or skin, to crouch down on the ground with the palms on the knees and head between the knees.

"Make your body as small as possible and avoid skin contact with the ground, the statement said.

The statement was in response to the lightning incidents that occurred in Rawang and Glenmarie in Shah Alam yesterday which left six foreigners dead and five people injured.

In the first incident, three Indonesians died and two were injured while working at a farm during a heavy storm in Sungai Choh, Rawang.

In the Glenmarie incident, three Indonesian contract workers were killed while three of their colleagues were injured after being hit by lightning.

http://www.mmail.com.my/content/80935-tips-how-not-get-struck-lightning

Enam korban panah petir

Enam korban panah petir
Kosmo 23 Ogos 2011

SEORANG pekerja menunjukkan lokasi tempat tiga lelaki Indonesia maut dipanah petir di sebuah tapak pembinaan di Shah Alam semalam.

SHAH ALAM - Enam lelaki Indonesia terkorban manakala lima rakan senegara mereka cedera akibat disambar petir dalam kejadian di sebuah tapak pembinaan di Jalan Rektor, Glenmarie di sini dan sebuah kebun sayur di Sungai Choh, Hulu Selangor semalam.

Kedua-dua kejadian itu berlaku ketika hujan lebat pada pukul 2.30 petang dan 2.45 petang.

Dalam kejadian di Glenmarie, tiga lelaki Indonesia maut manakala tiga rakan senegara mereka yang lain cedera.

Mereka yang terkorban dikenali sebagai Hazarin, 29, Surady, 31, dan Mohd. Nasir, 46. Tiga lagi mangsa yang cedera belum dikenal pasti kecuali seorang mangsa wanita dikenali sebagai Som, 20.

Semasa kejadian, tiga mangsa yang terkorban berada di luar rumah kongsi mereka dan berdiri di dalam lopak air.

Petir dipercayai memanah ke kawasan lopak air tempat ketiga-tiga mangsa berdiri dan mengalirkan arus elektrik yang menyebabkan ketiga-tiga mangsa terkena rencatan dan mati di tempat kejadian.

Ikuti berita selanjutnya di KOSMO! hari ini.

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0823&pub=Kosmo&sec=Negara&pg=ne_05.htm


6 maut, 5 parah dipanah petir
Utusan Malaysia 23 Ogos 2011

SHAH ALAM 22 Ogos - Enam warga Indonesia maut manakala lima lagi parah dipanah petir dalam dua kejadian berasingan di tapak pembinaan projek perumahan elit berhampiran Jalan Rektor, Persiaran Kerjaya, Glenmarie di sini dan kebun sayur di Sungai Choh, Rawang, Selangor, hari ini.

Dalam kejadian yang berlaku di Glenmarie ketika hujan lebat pada pukul 2.40 petang ini, tiga pekerja binaan maut dan tiga lagi parah.

Mereka yang maut dikenali sebagai Mohd. Nasir, 40, Hazarin, 29, dan Surady, 31, sementara mangsa yang parah ialah Som, 20, (isteri Surady), Dasyir, 28, dan Rosi, 25.

Difahamkan, tiga mangsa yang maut sedang berteduh sambil berdiri di bawah bumbung rumah kongsi yang dinaiki air setinggi buku lali manakala tiga yang cedera berada di dalam rumah.

Apabila petir menyambar di kawasan tapak pembinaan yang berair dan rumah kongsi berhampiran, tiga mangsa yang berdiri di dalam air terkena renjatan lalu rebah dan meninggal dunia sementara yang berada di dalam rumah pengsan.

Ketua Polis Daerah Shah Alam, Asisten Komisioner Zahedi Ayob berkata, kesemua mangsa yang maut dan cedera dihantar ke Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR) di Klang untuk bedah siasat dan rawatan lanjut.

"Kesemua mangsa mempunyai pasport dan kami sedang berurusan dengan majikan mereka untuk tindakan selanjutnya," katanya.

Pengarah Kumpulan Bahagian Hartanah, Aset dan Pembangunan Glenmarie Properties, Siti Mariam Mohd. Desa berkata, berikutan insiden itu, pihaknya mengarahkan kerja di tapak pembinaan dihentikan sementara.

Dalam kejadian di Rawang pada pukul 2.45 petang pula, tiga pekebun maut manakala dua lagi cedera apabila terkena panahan petir ketika ingin mencari tempat berlindung.

Ketua Polis Daerah Hulu Selangor, Supritendan Norel Azmi Yahya Affendi berkata, kesemua mangsa berusia antara 28 hingga 40 tahun.

"Tiga mangsa yang maut dibawa ke Hospital Kuala Kubu Bharu untuk bedah siasat manakala dua lagi yang cedera dikejarkan ke Klinik Kesihatan Rawang," katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia di sini, hari ini.


http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=0823&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Muka_Hadapan&pg=mh_05.htm

11 struck by lightning
The Star - Tuesday August 23, 2011

PETALING JAYA: Six foreigners were killed and five more injured when lightning struck them in two separate incidents.

In the first incident, three Indonesians died and and two were injured at about 2.45pm while working at a farm during a heavy storm in Sungai Choh near Kuala Kubu Baru.

The dead were Adik Rohmat, 28, Roni Dwi Jatmiko, 28, and Sugiran, 29, while the identities of the injured men, aged 25 and 40 years respectively, had yet to be ascertained.

Hulu Selangor OCPD Supt Norel Azmi Affandi Yahya said the injured workers were taken to a nearby health clinic for treatment for minor burns and lacerations.

In another incident in Jalan Reaktor, Persiaran Kerjaya in Glenmarie, three Indonesian contract workers died while three of their colleagues were injured when lightning struck them at about 2.30pm.

The six, aged between 20 and 40, were believed to have been taking shelter outside their kongsi (workers' quarters) when the lightning struck a nearby puddle before hitting them.

The men were said to have stuck their feet out of the kongsi veranda during the mishap.

The deceased were Hazarin, 29, Surady, 31, and Mohd Nasir, 40 while Dashir, 28, Rossey, 25, and Surady's wife Som, who is in her 20s, were taken to the Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Klang for treatment.

According to a witness, Sunarto, 42, the workers were instructed by their supervisor to stop work and take shelter when it started to rain heavily.

Shah Alam OCPD ACP Zahedi Ayob confirmed the incident. ACP Zahedi said a Bukit Jelutong team led by Inspector Mohd Azan Radzali rushed to the scene after receiving a report at about 3pm.

Meanwhile, Glenmarie Properties property, asset and development division group director Siti Mariam Mohd Desa said work at the site would be temporarily stopped due to the mishap.

Malaysia has one of the highest occurrences of lightning strikes in the world.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/8/23/nation/9348768&sec=nation

Maut kena petir waktu guna telefon

Maut kena petir waktu guna telefon
Kosmo 21 Ogos 2011


Rosnah menunjukkan telefon bimbit yang digunakan Siti Munirah yang maut dipanah petir di Kampung Belimbing, Tanah Merah semalam.

TANAH MERAH – “Saya mahu tidur puas-puas.” Itu ungkapan aneh yang diucapkan Siti Munirah Nordin (gambar), 13, pada cuti Nuzul Al-Quran Rabu lalu kepada ibunya sebelum remaja itu maut dipanah petir di bangsal berhampiran rumahnya dipercayai sedang menggunakan telefon bimbit di Kampung Belimbing di sini kelmarin.

Dalam kejadian pada pukul 5.50 petang itu, Siti Munirah meninggal dunia di tempat kejadian dengan kecederaan pada muka sebelah kanan dan kesan terbakar pada telinga, rambut dan punggung.

Mayat mangsa ditemui abangnya, Mohd. Firdaus, 16, pada pukul 9 malam setelah ahli keluarganya keluar mencarinya selepas tidak pulang ke rumah untuk berbuka puasa sejak keluar pada pukul 4.30 petang.

Telefon bimbit milik ibunya yang dipinjam mangsa pula ditemui di atas tanah di bawah bangsal tersebut.

Mangsa merupakan pelajar tingkatan satu Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Belimbing di sini.

Ibunya, Rosnah Dollah, 49, berkata, pada mulanya dia menyangka Siti Munirah pergi berbuka puasa di rumah kawannya tetapi terkejut apabila mendapat tahu kawan anaknya itu pulang ke kampungnya di Salor dekat sini.

“Sebelum kejadian, Siti Munirah sedang menggunakan telefon bimbit saya di dalam rumah dan apabila saya menegurnya kerana berbual terlalu lama, dia terus keluar dari rumah.

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0821&pub=Kosmo&sec=Negara&pg=ne_01.htm

Guna telefon bimbit: Remaja maut dipanah petir
Utusan Malaysia 21 Ogos 2011

TANAH MERAH 20 Ogos - Seorang remaja perempuan maut akibat dipanah petir, dipercayai ketika menggunakan telefon bimbit milik ibunya di sebuah bangsal berhampiran rumahnya di Kampung Belimbing dekat sini semalam.

Dalam kejadian pukul 5.50 petang itu, mangsa, Siti Munirah Nordin, 13, meninggal dunia di tempat kejadian dengan kesan terbakar di sebelah kanan muka, telinga, kepala dan punggungnya.

Sebelum kejadian, mangsa dikatakan sedang bercakap dengan seseorang menggunakan telefon tersebut ketika cuaca agak redup dan petir sedang berbunyi.

Remaja berkenaan hanya ditemui oleh abangnya, Mohd. Firdaus, 16, sudah meninggal dunia di bangsal kira-kira pukul 9 malam tadi.

Ini berikutan ahli keluarga mencarinya setelah tidak pulang ke rumah untuk berbuka puasa sejak keluar pukul 4.30 petang.

Menceritakan kejadian itu, ibu mangsa, Rosnah Dollah, 49, berkata pada mulanya dia menyangka anaknya berbuka puasa di rumah rakannya yang terletak berhampiran rumah, namun terkejut apabila mendapat tahu anaknya tidak pergi ke situ.

"Sebelum kejadian, dia ada bercakap menggunakan telefon bimbit saya di dalam rumah. Kemudian saya menegurnya menyebabkan dia keluar dari rumah.

"Saya beritahu dia masih bersekolah dan tidak patut berbual lama-lama di telefon. Saya tidak tahu pula dengan siapa dia berbual," katanya ketika ditemui di rumah bapanya di Kampung Manal hari ini.

Tambahnya, setelah mencarinya merata-rata dan bertanyakan kawannya, dia kemudian mencari anak keenam daripada tujuh beradik itu di bangsal tersebut.

"Saya teringat untuk mencari di situ kerana pernah ternampak dia dan kawannya duduk di bangsal sambil bercakap menggunakan telefon bimbit sehari sebelum kejadian," katanya.

Rosnah merupakan seorang ibu tunggal setelah kematian suami lima tahun lalu akibat sakit kencing manis. Dia kini menyara tujuh orang anak dan bekerja sebagai pembantu kedai makan dengan pendapatan RM25 sehari.

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=0821&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Jenayah&pg=je_02.htm

Gadis kena panah petir
Harian Metro 21 Ogos 2011

TANAH MERAH: Seorang remaja perempuan berusia 13 tahun maut selepas sebahagian badannya dari telinga hingga ke punggung hangus terkena panahan petir di sebuah bangsal berdekatan rumahnya di Batu Tiga, Kampung Belimbing, dekat sini, kelmarin.

Kejadian pada jam 9 malam itu disedari ibunya, Rosnah Dollah, 49, selepas mangsa, Siti Munirah Nordin, tidak pulang ke rumah untuk berbuka puasa menyebabkan usaha menjejakinya dilakukan sekitar kampung, termasuk rumah rakan.

Ibu tunggal terbabit akhirnya mendapati anaknya meninggal dunia dalam keadaan terlentang di sebuah bangsal 50 meter dari rumah dengan telefon bimbit masih di sisinya.

Menceritakan kejadian itu, Rosnah berkata, sebelum kejadian, dia menegur anaknya kerana bergayut dengan telefon sepanjang hari.

“Saya tegur dia (arwah anak), dengan siapa dia bergayut kerana sepanjang hari dilihat tidak renggang dengan telefon bimbit.

“Mungkin bosan dengan teguran saya, dia kemudian keluar rumah dan sangkaan saya ketika itu mungkin dia ke rumah rakan.

“Selepas teguran itu, saya ingatkan dia masih di rumah rakannya dan berbuka di sana. Bagaimanapun, perasaan saya bercampur curiga berikutan dia masih tidak pulang selepas Maghrib, menyebabkan usaha mencarinya dilakukan di kawasan sekitar,” katanya ketika ditemui di rumah bapanya di Jalan Manal, di sini, semalam.

Rosnah berkata, dia terkejut mendapati rakan anaknya pulang ke kampung mereka di Salor, menyebabkan usaha mencarinya dilakukan di sekeliling rumah.

“Hanya Tuhan tahu perasaan saya ketika itu. Saya bimbang berlaku kejadian tidak diingini dan terus mencarinya meskipun keadaan sekeliling mulai gelap.

“Bagaikan tidak percaya apa yang saya saksikan apabila menemui anak dalam keadaan separuh tubuhnya hangus, dipercayai terkena panahan petir berdekatan kawasan bangsal semak dan terlindung dari pandangan umum,” katanya.

Katanya, ketika itu Siti Munirah dalam keadaan terlentang, manakala baju T hitam dan seluar pendek merah jambu yang dipakainya turut terkena panahan petir dan hangus sebahagiannya.

Sementara itu, Ketua Polis Daerah, Deputi Superintendan Abdul Aziz Mahmud berkata, mangsa ditemui 50 meter dari rumah dalam keadaan terlentang dengan sebahagian badan hangus.

http://www.hmetro.com.my/myMetro/articles/Gadiskenapanahpetir/Article/index_html