Advertisement

FRIM offers help to address tree fall hazards during storm

FRIM beli aset lebih RM1 juta tapi tidak digunakan, kata laporan audit

The Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) has offered to assist and advise Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) on proper tree care and management, following a spate of accidents caused by fallen trees during heavy downpours and storms in the city.

FRIM director-general, Datuk Dr Abd Latif Mohmod, said the institute would help the authorities identify areas vulnerable to tree fall, ensuring tree risk assessments and monitoring measures to reduce the occurrence of mishaps caused by broken, uprooted trees or fallen branches.

Discussions between FRIM arborists and botanists, he said were also being held to come up with ideas to better assist DBKL on the matter.

One of the arborists, Adnan Mohammad, said FRIM might propose or help identify areas in the city where trees are most vulnerable to heavy rain and thunderstorms, so that regular maintenance and monitoring can be carried out.

“The pattern of incidents is clearly associated with the weather. During heavy downpours with occurrence of a freak storm, the high wind velocity could not only damage the trees but also cause other structures including billboards to collapse.

"Even strong trees anywhere would be in danger,” he said, in a statement.

"More regular monitoring may also be required during certain period of the year such as from January to March and November to December, or in the months which had recorded higher incidents of tree falls during storms," he added.

Adnan said the recent incidents should be investigated to identify the cause which could be a combination of factors, such as strong wind, tree structural defects, the condition of the “3-S” (site, space and soil) and bad pruning practices.

Heavy rain over the past few weeks have wreaked havoc in several parts of the Klang Valley.

In one incident, two policemen were killed after a tree fell on a police booth, trapping them.

There were also unconfirmed reports of fallen trees around the city namely in Jalan Cenderamulia, Jalan Stadium, Jalan Raja Laut, Jalan Loke Yew, Persiaran Tun Ismail, Jalan Dewan Bahasa, Jalan Kinabalu, Jalan Maharajalela into Jalan Hang Tuah, the entrance to Bukit Aman, Bulatan KTM (near Majestic Hotel), Jalan San Peng, and Jalan Kamuning, Off Jalan Imbi.

Meanwhile, FRIM Corporate Communication head Norhayati Nordin urged joggers and visitors to refrain from exercising in FRIM or entering forested areas on rainy days as a safety precaution.

She said FRIM was planning to close off the Rover Trail sometime next year to conduct checks and monitor the health of trees along the popular trail.

“Some of the trees here are huge and nearly 100 years old. The recent occurrences of tree falls within the FRIM campus had given rise to concern to the management.

"For the safety of our visitors and joggers, we may need to close off some nature trails temporarily to conduct thorough tree inspection and maintenance along the route to prevent any untoward incident,” she said.

She said FRIM would decide whether to close off the Rover Trail temporarily during the wet season or permanently, allowing entry only to regular visitors with passes and a limited number of visitors who have booked for the canopy walkway or guided exploration of the nature trails. – October 25, 2014.