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Disaster Types in Malaysia: An Overview

The Authors

Ibrahim Mohamed Shaluf, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,

University of 7th April, Alzawia, Libya

Fakhru' l-Razi Ahm adun, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering,Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia

Abstract

Purpose To provide graduate students, researchers, and responsible personnel with an overviewon the disaster types worldwide in general and disaster types in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach The types of disasters by region for the period 1988-1997 wereobtained from recent published sources. The disasters which occurred in Malaysia have beencollected from several sources such as the technical, general articles, internet web sites, and internalreports. The disasters which occurred during the period of 1968-2004 have been reviewed. The

disasters have been classified into natural disasters, man-made disasters, and subsequent disasters.The man-made disasters have been classified into technological disasters, transportation accidents,public places failure, and production failure.

Findings Disasters have been classified into natural, man-made disasters. The regions worldwidehave experienced all kinds of natural disasters in last decade. It was pointed out that the occurrenceof disasters from almost all kinds of hazards is among the highest in Asia and the Pacific. Malaysiaexperienced natural, man-made and subsequent disasters. Malaysia has experienced 39 disastersduring the period of 1968-2004. The natural disasters were 49 percent of total disasters. Most of thenatural disasters were resulted from the heavy rains. Malaysia has experienced 18 man-madedisasters. The man-made disasters resulted in 282 fatalities, and 1,892 injuries.

Originality/value This paper presents an overview on the disaster types by region worldwide. The

paper also presents an overview on the disaster types in Malaysia. This paper combined the scattereddisasters into one record. Therefore, there is a need for an authorized body to be responsible for thecollecting, arranging, classifying, and storing of all type of the accidents in Malaysia. This experiencecan be benefited from/at any country.

In t roduct ion

The Malaysian National Security Council (MNSC) Directive 20 (2003) defines disaster as anemergency situation of some complexity that will cause the loss of lives, damage property and theenvironment, and hamper local social and economic activities.

Disasters have been classified into natural, and man-made disasters. Natural disasters are

catastrophic events resulting from natural causes such as floods, landslides, mudslides, etc. overwhich man has no control. Natural disasters are often termed Act of God. Man-made disasters canbe sudden or long term (IFRCRCS, 2003). Sudden man-made disasters are known as socio-technicaldisasters. Richardson (1994) highlighted that the socio-technical disaster occurs in at least four typesof organizational situations. These are:

1. technological disaster (plant and factory failures);2. transport failures;3. stadia or other public place failures; and4. production failures.

Long-term disasters tend to refer to national and international conflicts. Natural and/or man-madedisasters sometimes trigger subsequent disasters such as displaced people, and haze (IFRCRCS,

2003). The subsequent disasters have social and economic impacts.

Malaysia is locating in the South-East Asia at tropical region. This region is characterized with theheavy rains almost all the year. The region is rich with the tropical forests and the jungles. Malaysiahas experienced several natural disasters such as the landslides, mudslides, and floods due to theheavy rains. Malaysia has set a plan to be fully developed country by year 2020 (Aini et al., 2001).

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Malaysia is witnessing development in all sectors in fast pace. Malaysia has experienced 16 man-made disasters such as the transportation accidents, technological disasters, public places failures,and production failure. Malaysia has also experienced subsequent disasters such as the haze fromthe forest fires at the neighboring countries. This paper reviews in brief the types of disasters ingeneral. This paper also reviews the disaster types in Malaysia.

Disaster types

The disaster types have been summarized by Turner and Pedgeon (1997), Richardson (1994), Hood

and Jackson (1992), Directive 20 (2003), IFRCRCS (2003), The CRED (2003), FEMA (2003), MFAAA(2003), WHO (2003a, b) and UNEP-APELL (2003). It was found that the disastrous events could becovered by three disaster types and subsequent disasters. The disaster types are natural, and man-made disasters.

Bohari and Rashid (2001) pointed out that the world has witnessed many hydrological disasters(floods and cyclones) and geological disasters (earthquake, volcanic eruptions and landslides). Boharihighlighted that in the period 1947-1981, there were 554 hydrological disasters compared to 208geological disasters. Within the two categories, floods were the most frequent followed by tropicalcyclones and earthquakes. Although floods are the most frequent natural disaster, earthquakes andtropical cyclones cause the most fatalities.

Kishore (2003) reviewed the types of disasters by region for the period 1988-1997. The disasterstypes have been summarized in Table I. Kishore highlighted that Asia and the Pacific are affected byalmost every conceivable hazard geological hazards such as earthquake, landslides, and volcaniceruptions; hydro-metrological hazards such as floods, cyclones and droughts; and other hazards suchas epidemics, insect infestations, hot and cold waves, and forest fires. Kishore pointed out that theoccurrence of disasters from almost all kinds of hazards is among the highest in Asia and the Pacific.

Types of disasters in Malaysia

Although Malaysia is geographically outside the Pacific Rim of fire and is relatively free from anysevere ravages and destruction caused by natural disasters such as earthquake, typhoons andvolcanic eruptions, nevertheless the country is subjected to monsoon floods, landslides and severehaze episodes. The country also from time to time experiences some man-made disasters, whichcause considerable damages to property and loss of lives. Malaysia has experienced 39 disastersduring the period of 1968-2004 (Aini et al., 2001; Khan and Ali, 2001; DOSH, 2001; Daud and Adam,2002; ADRC, 2003; Relief Web, 2003). The disasters were classified to natural, man-made andsubsequent disasters. It has been noted that the disasters resulted in 1,742 fatalities and 2,713injuries.

Natural disasters

Malaysia has experienced 19 natural disasters. The natural disasters resulted in 1,460 fatalities, and821 injuries.

Besides flooding, Malaysia subjected to landslides. Malaysia has experienced two major landslides.Farming activities involving indiscriminate clearing of land, coupled with continuous downpours, werepartly blamed for landslides in Cameron Highlands over four days from December 4 to 7, 1994.

Another landslide on June 30, 1995, took place about 39km from capital city Kuala Lumpur. The siteof the tragic incident was a slip road leading to the Genting Highlands resorts. Part of the hill camecrashing down as flood waters washed tons of earth and fallen trees down the hilly slope. About adozen or so vehicles including cars, buses and vans, which were on their way to Genting Highlands,were swept down (ADRC, 2003).

Ismail (2003) reviewed the tropical storms for the past 16 years. Ismail pointed out that the mostcommonly tropical storms, which normally experienced by the Malaysian Peninsular is the Sumatranand other local storm. The storms were frequently experienced in the west coast states, especiallyKedah, Selangor, Penang and Perlise. Malaysia has experienced the tropical storm Greg which hit

part of Sabah in 1996 and resulted in 230 fatalities.

WHO (2003a, b) summarized the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) cases worldwide withonset of illness from November 2002 to July 31, 2003. The SARS illness cases in Malaysia werereported between March 14 and April 22, 2003. The SARS resulted in two fatalities in Malaysia.

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Tsunami triggered by the most powerful earthquake hit the northwest states of Pulau Pinang andKedah in Malaysia on December 26, 2004. The tsunami resulted in 68 fatalities, 6 missing and 73people were in-patient and 694 were out-patient (ADRC, 2005; WHO, 2005).

Man-made disasters

Malaysia has experienced 18 man-made disasters. The man-made disasters resulted in 282 fatalitiesand 1,892 injuries.

Man-made disasters can be sudden or long-term disasters (IFRCRCS, 2003). Sudden man-madedisasters are known as socio-technical disasters. Malaysia has experienced several socio-technicaldisasters. The socio-technical disasters can be summarized as follows:

Technological disasters

The technological disaster is defined by ILO's (1988) Major Hazard Control Manualas:

an occurrence such as a major emission, fire or explosion resulting from uncontrolleddevelopments in the course of an industrial activity, leading to a serious danger to man, immediate ordelayed, inside or outside the establishment, and to the environment, and involving one or moredangerous substances.

Malaysia has experienced ten technological disasters in the period of 1968-2002. The technologicaldisasters involved at the major hazard installation (MHIs). The technological disasters resulted in 144fatalities and 201 injuries.

The Japanese Encephalitis (JE) was broken out in the three states namely Perak, Negri Sembilan andMelaka. The company, which was prohibited from manufacturing in Japan, transferred its plant toMalaysia. The radioactive substance by-products that were produced during production of Yttrium wasdumped indiscriminately. This severely contaminated the area, and the nearby villagers fell ill (Aini etal., 2001). Sulaiman (2003) pointed out that the cost of JE outbreak in Perak was estimated to beRM2.3 million, and the total direct cost of the outbreak in Malacca and Negri Sembilan was estimatedto be RM818 million with the value of pigs culled estimated at RM215 million and farm infrastructure

that had to be destroyed at RM500 million.Prime News (2004) highlighted that thick fumes from a fireat a chemical factory, the second incident in three days forced more than 300 residents of TamanNagasari in the Pari industrial area.

Transportation accidents

Major rail/highway accidents can cause large number of casualties, hazardous materials incidents,and major disruption of vital transportation routes. An air crash involving a large passenger aircraftcan occur anywhere, but the greatest risks are in and around airports. Any accident that producesnumerous injuries could overwhelm local emergency medical resources. Malaysia has experiencedtwo transportation accidents.

Public places failure

Stadia and public places failures are one of the socio-technical disasters. The public places failureincludes the collapse of stadia, high-rise buildings and the urban fires. Urban fires occur in structuresas high-rise apartment buildings, condominiums, schools, etc.

Malaysia has experienced three collapses of high-rise buildings. The collapse of the high-risebuildings resulted in 91 fatalities and 1,685 injuries. Malaysia also has experienced two fire incidentsresulted in three fatalities, and three injuries.

Production failure

The production failures include the followings:

computer system breakdowns; and production and distribution of defective products.

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Malaysia has experienced one production failure. The water shortage crisis in 1998 affected 1.8million residents in the Federal Territory and the surrounding region (Aini et al., 2001).

Subsequent disasters

Subsequent disasters are those disasters, which resulted from natural and/or man-made disasters.Malaysia has experienced two haze (subsequent) disasters summarized in Table VIII. The haze isdefined by IMPROVE (2003) as an atmospheric aerosol of sufficient concentration to be visible. Theparticles are so small that they cannot be seen individually, but are still effective in scene distortion

and visual range restriction.

Forest fires may start by natural causes such as volcanic eruptions, lightning or from man-madecauses. In September-November 1997, parts of several countries in South-East Asia, includingMalaysia, Singapore, Brunei, The Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia, were affected by heavy airpollution, primarily caused by exceptionally large-scale forest fires in Indonesia. It was pointed out(BBC, 2003) that the cause of forest fire in Indonesia was probably from some farmers who plant fewcrops under the jungle canopy, or from commercial plantation of rubber and palm oil. Megawati andWidjaja (2001) pointed out that the Department of Fire Prevention in Forestry and Plantation statedthat almost 99 percent of forest fires, which occurred, were due to human error. There are manyeconomic, environmental and social costs associated with the forest fire disaster(Relief Web,2003). Sulaiman (2003) summarized the types of damage due to the haze in 1997 as follows:

medical costs of illness; loss of productivity during the state of emergency; decline intourist arrivals; flight cancellations; decline in fish landings; cost of firefighting; and cost of cloud seeding to induce rain.

Mohamed et al. (2001) pointed out that the haze was one of the worst environmental disasters in lastdecade. Almost 70 million people were affected. The state of Sarawak in Malaysia declared a state ofemergency and at one stage had even thought of evacuating its 2 million people when the air pollutionindex recorded a figure of 839. Mohamed et al. (2001) also pointed out that the WWF estimated thelosses with $6 billion from lost agriculture output, medical bills, and decrease in tourism.

Discussion

Disasters have been classified into natural, man-made disasters. Natural disasters are catastrophicevents resulting from natural causes. Natural disasters are often termed Act of God. The authorsbelieve that everything happen with the will of the god. Although the natural disasters are beyond thecontrol of human being, however, the impacts of the natural disasters can be reduced by setting up ofadvanced warning systems which forecast the impending natural disasters, also the consequences ofthe natural disasters can be reduced through an effective disaster management.

The regions worldwide have experienced all kinds of natural disasters in last decade. It was pointedout that the occurrence of disasters from almost all kinds of hazards is among the highest in Asia andthe Pacific. It was also pointed out that floods account for 40 percent of the natural hazards affectingthe Asia and Pacific regions. In Asia alone in last decade more than 83 percent of the total reporteddisasters were due to floods.

Malaysia has experienced 19 natural disasters. The natural disasters were 49 percent (Table IX) ofthe total disasters. Around 30 percent of the natural disasters in Malaysia were due to landslides. Thelandslides resulted in 1,038 fatalities.

Malaysia has experienced 18 man-made disasters. The man-made disasters can be classified intotechnological, transportation, public places failure and production failures. Man-made disasters wereabout 46 percent of the total disasters.

It has been noted that Malaysia has experienced ten technological disasters involved MHIs. Thetechnological disasters were about 56 percent of the man-made disasters. The technological disasterswere resulted due to operating of MHIs. Two technological disasters occurred at the fireworksindustry. The fireworks industry was about 20 percent of the total technological disasters. Thefireworks disasters resulted in 26 lives and injured 106 and lift severe damage to the factories and the

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residential areas. The fireworks industry is dangerous business, where the manufacturing of fireworksproducts is imposing a continuous source of potential hazards and could jeopardize the employeesand surrounded residents to danger. Therefore, a decision was made to close any fireworks factoryand not to allow installing any fireworks factory in Malaysia.

The frequency of technological disasters at mutual MHIs, water treatment plants, petrochemicalplants, and at the chemical process plants was one time for each disaster, which was about 10percent. The technological disaster at the mutual MHIs resulted in 13 fatalities and high damaged costto both facilities. The technological disaster at the water treatment plant was resulted in 79 injuries.

The technological disaster at the chemical process plant resulted in 12 injuries, and badly damagedthe facilities. Disaster at the refinery resulted in damage was estimated with 5 million US $.

Malaysia has experienced two haze subsequent disasters, which resulted from forest fire disasters.The subsequent disasters were about 5 percent of the total disasters. Malaysia in collaboration withthe neighboring countries is taking the preventive measures to prevent the forest fires disasters, andthe haze disasters.

Conclusions

The disaster types worldwide have been reviewed in brief, and the disaster types in Malaysia havebeen reviewed and the followings have been noted:

Disasters can be classified into natural, man-made, and hybrid disasters. Natural and/or man-made disasters can trigger subsequent disasters. Malaysia experienced natural, man-made and subsequent disasters. The natural disasters were 49 percent of total disasters. Most of the natural disasters were

resulted from the heavy rains. The landslides were 26 percent of the natural disasters. Malaysia has experienced 18 man-made disasters. The man-made disasters were about 46

percent of the total disasters. Malaysia has experienced ten technological disasters. The technological disasters were 56

percent of the man-made disasters. Most of the technological disasters occurred last decade.This may be due to the fast development in industrial sector in particular at the MHIs.

Malaysia experienced two subsequent disasters (haze), which resulted from forest fires.

Setting up of advanced warning systems, which forecast the impending natural disasters, canreduce the impacts of the natural disasters. The consequences of the natural disasters alsocan be reduced through an effective disaster management.

Technological disasters can be prevented or reduced through good design, operation,maintenance, and inspection of MHIs.

The haze problems can be reduced through the implementation of the necessary measures,which were recommended by the HAZE action plan.