MANCHESTER, England, April 13 (Reuters) - Leeds United's Noah Okafor scored twice as his side grabbed a morale-boosting 2-1 Premier League away win over bitter rivals Manchester United, who had Lisandro Martinez sent off in the 56th minute for pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
From high to low: As the heatwave continues to hit the country, the water level of Sungai Langat has dropped, exposing parts of the river banks and allowing weeds to grow. — FAIHAN GHANI/The StarPETALING JAYA: A looming El Nino will not just cause water levels in Malaysian rivers to drop; it will also pollute them, experts warn.
Experts say this is because lower river levels reduce the natural ability of waterways to dilute waste, allowing pollutants to become more concentrated even if discharge levels remain unchanged.
Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia president S. Piarapakaran said the base flow of Malaysian rivers has declined steadily over the years due to various factors. The El Nino and prolonged dry season, he said, can cause the base flow to become even lower, depending on the drought severity.
“During this period, the concentration of pollutants can increase and will only get worse if factors such as deforestation continue,” he said. “Lake systems are particularly at risk due to weaker natural recharge and dilution capacity,” he added.
Piarapakaran, who is also the Centre for Water and Energy Sustainability chief executive officer, proposed the establishment of a closed-loop chemical database to ensure hazardous waste is handled immediately, alongside having real-time monitoring features. “This prevents unauthorised companies from handling waste materials, as the movement of chemicals – from importing and manufacturing to disposal – is monitored,” he said.
He also emphasised the importance of implementing regulations that would enable parties affected by water pollution to recuperate additional costs or losses in revenue.
Water Quality and Modelling specialist Dr Zaki Zainudin said smaller rivers are especially vulnerable, as they have less water to buffer changes. “Even if the amount of pollution entering the river remains the same, lower water volume means pollutants become more concentrated. “As a result, substances such as ammonia and, in some cases, heavy metals, may reach higher levels,” he said.
Zaki added that stagnant water bodies like lakes and ponds may experience increased algae growth during dry periods due to warmer temperatures and slower water movement.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman said climatic episodes expose rivers to higher levels of industrial effluents, domestic waste and agricultural run-off, increasing risks for communities dependent on the water source. She proposed setting up special municipal council hotlines enabling nearby communities to alert authorities on polluted bodies of water.“Such hotlines also empower the public to be the eyes and ears of authorities,” Meenakshi said.
This comes as forecasts indicate that the El Nino phenomenon has a 62% chance of forming between June and August this year, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department. El Nino is associated with unusual weather events such as severe floods and prolonged droughts in parts of the world. In South-East Asia and Australia, the weather conditions are drier than normal, while humid conditions are experienced in the central and eastern Pacific near the equator.
At press time, water levels at the Sungai Langat station in Selangor were recorded as “polluted”, according to the government’s River Water Quality Index Management System.Another nine rivers were recorded as slightly polluted, as they had WQI readings ranging from 60 to 78. These include Sungai Batang Sadong in Sarawak; Sungai Kulim in Penang; Sungai Selangor and Sungai Labu in Selangor; Sungai Linggi in Negri Sembilan; Terusan Mada and Sungai Mada in Kedah; Sungai Skudai in Johor; and Sungai Klang in Kuala Lumpur.
Water Pollution Malaysian Rivers Drought Severity Hazardous Waste Water Quality River Levels Algae Growth Industrial Effluents Climatic Episodes
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Carrick Outraged by Martinez Red Card in Manchester United Loss to Leeds UnitedInterim Manchester United manager Michael Carrick expressed frustration over the red card given to Lisandro Martinez during their defeat against Leeds United, disputing the referee's decision. Carrick criticized the call as one of the worst he's witnessed, questioning the VAR review and the lack of action on a prior foul, while also highlighting the team's resilience despite the loss. The defeat doesn't affect Manchester United's league standing, but a crucial match against Chelsea is upcoming.
Read more »
Soccer-Leeds grab 2-1 win over Manchester United as Martinez sees redLONDON, April 13 (Reuters) - A major investor in U.S. President Donald Trump's World Liberty Financial crypto venture has claimed that the firm 'secretly' implemented a tool to unilaterally freeze and restrict private holdings of its WLFI token.
Read more »
Orban's defeat topples a pillar of Europe's far right, prompts scrutiny of MAGA linksMANCHESTER, England, April 13 (Reuters) - Leeds United's Noah Okafor scored twice as his side grabbed a morale-boosting 2-1 Premier League away win over bitter rivals Manchester United, who had Lisandro Martinez sent off in the 56th minute for pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Read more »
Job market expected to feel 'lag effect' of global energy crisis by June, says Economy MinisterMANCHESTER, England, April 13 (Reuters) - Leeds United's Noah Okafor scored twice as his side grabbed a morale-boosting 2-1 Premier League away win over bitter rivals Manchester United, who had Lisandro Martinez sent off in the 56th minute for pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Read more »
Cuba's top destinations deserted, without power or fuel under US sanctionsMANCHESTER, England, April 13 (Reuters) - Leeds United's Noah Okafor scored twice as his side grabbed a morale-boosting 2-1 Premier League away win over bitter rivals Manchester United, who had Lisandro Martinez sent off in the 56th minute for pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Read more »
Australian PM Albanese to visit Malaysia April 15-17, energy security in focusMANCHESTER, England, April 13 (Reuters) - Leeds United's Noah Okafor scored twice as his side grabbed a morale-boosting 2-1 Premier League away win over bitter rivals Manchester United, who had Lisandro Martinez sent off in the 56th minute for pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Read more »