Sharp, essential news and analysis from Malaysia.
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited Kumamoto Prefecture on Monday following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that killed 38 people on Tuesday. The region faces compounding challenges from extreme heat, water shortages, and overcrowded emergency shelters as recovery efforts begin.
Major wildfires in France and Spain have begun to stabilise after consuming thousands of hectares and displacing thousands of residents. However, forecasters warn another intense heatwave threatens to reignite the crisis.
Malaysia's Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) seeks to maintain its prestigious Heavy Urban Search and Rescue certification from the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group, underscoring the country's disaster preparedness.
Spain evacuated approximately 950 residents from 12 villages after a major wildfire ignited in a northwestern national park bordering Portugal, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warning of an extremely tense fire situation amid an ongoing heatwave.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake has devastated Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan, killing at least 34 people and leaving thousands displaced. Rescue operations continue amid relentless aftershocks, water shortages, and dangerous heat.
Melaka has released RM25 million in emergency funding to repair 100 flood-damaged sites including roads and drainage systems, with completion targeted by end-August as part of broader flood mitigation strategy.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid has emphasised the need for Malaysia to establish an integrated air disaster management system where all agencies operate under unified command, stressing that coordination matters more than asset quantity.
China's meteorological authority has declared a red alert—its most severe typhoon warning—as Typhoon Noul, the year's 12th tropical cyclone, bears down on Guangdong Province with maximum winds of Force 14.
A massive fire at a Coupang logistics warehouse in Incheon, South Korea has been brought under initial control after burning for 61 hours. Hundreds of residents were evacuated and extensive firefighting resources were deployed.
Intense overnight downpours have battered South Korea's Seoul metropolitan area and eastern Gangwon Province, destroying homes and infrastructure whilst forcing the closure of 10 national parks and evacuation of nearly 100 residents.
Spain is tackling its largest wildfire of 2024 in northeastern Zaragoza province, which has consumed around 12,000 hectares and prompted the evacuation of more than 1,100 residents across six municipalities.
Malaysia's Airport Fire and Rescue Services led a first-of-its-kind exercise simulating an aircraft crash six kilometres from Subang Airport, involving 450 participants from 20+ agencies to strengthen off-airport disaster response capabilities.
Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh has committed to ending three decades of flooding in Tanjung Minyak, following severe weather that displaced over 900 people from 300 families.
Thailand's disaster management authorities have issued a week-long alert for Bangkok and six surrounding central provinces as elevated sea levels threaten to overflow riverbanks and cause flooding in vulnerable communities during July 13–19.
Malaysia will progressively open 15 permanent disaster relief centres across nine states starting this year, marking a significant shift in national emergency management strategy away from using school premises.
A severe heat wave across the United States has claimed at least 25 lives, with 40 million people under heat alerts. The East Coast now faces dangerous thunderstorms and flooding risks, while western states brace for record-breaking temperatures.
The Sultan of Pahang has expressed gratitude to federal and state governments for funding critical infrastructure projects, particularly flood mitigation efforts in vulnerable areas like Sungai Lembing.
Japan faces a dual typhoon threat this weekend as the Japan Meteorological Agency issued warnings for Typhoon Higos and Typhoon Mekkhala. Over 2 million people across 13 prefectures have been evacuated amid heavy rainfall and landslide risks.