143 victims of chemical waste contamination still hospitalised
JOHOR BAHRU, March 17 (Bernama) — As of midnight yesterday, as many as 143 who were affected by the chemical waste contamination incident in Pasir Gudang were still receiving treatment in hospitals.
Chairman of the state Health, Environment and Agriculture Committee, Dr Sahruddin Jamal said they include 36 people who were referred to hospitals outside the district and 29 in hospitals in other states.
“As of midnight, seven patients are still warded in the Intensive Care Unit and reported to be in stable condition,” he said.
He added that 108 people have been allowed to go home after receiving treatment at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Sultan Ismail Hospital and Permai Hospital.
Dr Sahruddin also said 1.3 kilometres (km) of the 1.5 km contaminated area in Sungai Kim Kim have been cleaned up.
He said the cleaning works have been conducted non-stop since Wednesday and are going well.
“The remaining 200 metres will be completed at the latest by one or two days’ time,” he said.
He added that 550 metric tonnes of contaminated soil and sludge as well as 700 metric tonnes of water have been collected as of 4 pm yesterday.
He also reminded members of the public not to approach the affected areas and reduce outdoor activities.
So far, educational institutions in Pasir Gudang are still closed and will only begin operations after the authorities declare it safe, he said.
Cleaning up of 1.5km-stretch of Sungai Kim Kim over
JOHOR BAHRU, March 17 (Bernama) — The cleaning up process along 1.5 kilometres of Sungai Kim Kim, in Pasir Gudang near here, which began on Wednesday, following dumping of toxic chemical waste there, was completed today.
Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin said, however, monitoring would continue today to see if anything more needs to be done.
“The 1.5 km-stretch of Sungai Kim Kim that was polluted has already been cleaned up but today we want to see what more ‘touch up’ we can do.
“Today can be said to be a day of monitoring. After that, then only we can look into what further action is needed,” she told the media at the state Disaster Management Committee’s operations room here.
Also present was state Department of Environment (DOE) director Datuk Dr Mohammad Ezanni Mat Salleh.
Yeo said at the same time, 30 teams comprising DOE members and Chemistry Department personnel were deployed to 30 schools around the affected area today, to monitor air quality by using gas detectors.
She said all 30 schools were located three to nine kilometres from Sungai Kim Kim.
“Before this we have monitored the air quality in different places… and found the quality was at a safe level. But, our coverage today will be extensive because the cleaning up of the river has been completed,” she said, adding that the full report on the air quality will be made public tomorrow.
— BERNAMA
