Loud Bang, Tremors Rock Parts Of Ipoh, Police Investigating

IPOH, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- A loud boom followed by tremors rocked parts of Ipoh late this morning, sending shockwaves through the community.

Startled residents immediately took to social media, speculating on the source of the boom and vibrations, which occurred at 11.06 am, and police said investigations are now underway.

Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris said police are investigating the incident, adding that early checks with the Northern Brigade of the General Operations Force in Ulu Kinta and the Perak Land and Mines Office (PTG) showed no record of any explosions or drills conducted before noon.

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He said the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) also confirmed that no seismic activity was detected in Ipoh, although a minor earthquake had been recorded in Halmahera, Indonesia at 11.24 am.

“We urge the public to stay calm and avoid spreading rumours or speculations that could cause unnecessary panic," said Azizi, adding those with information regarding the incident are urged to contact the Perak Police Control Centre at 05-2451119 or 05-2451073.

Meanwhile, Perak Mineral and Geoscience Department (JMG) director, Nizarulikram Abdul Rahim, confirmed that the boom and tremors were not linked to any quarry activities.

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"I can confidently say it wasn’t from quarry blasting. We’ve checked, and there were no authorised blasts today. Furthermore, quarry explosions are only permitted between 12 noon and 5 pm on weekdays," he told Bernama when contacted, 

Nizarulikram also noted that this is the third such mysterious incident in the area, with similar occurrences in June 2012 and October 2018, all happening around 11 am. 

Several residents also shared their experiences.

T. Diviyah, 27, a clerk at a private company in Medan Istana, recalled how her office door shook briefly after the sudden blast.

“It was loud, but nothing happened after that. My colleagues and I were just startled, then went back to work,” she said.

V. Jeganathan, 55, a manager at another nearby company, said that this was the first time anything like this had occurred in his years working in the area.

"It was a single loud noise, and the office door vibrated, but there wasn’t any panic," he said.

Meanwhile, Rosmah Hussin Shah, 51, who runs a food stall in the same vicinity, said she heard the blast but didn’t feel much of the tremors.

"We didn’t panic at all. Something similar happened in 2018, but we never found out the cause,” she said.

-- BERNAMA