IPOH, June 19 — Perak police chief Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin said no casualties or property damage were reported following a loud booming sound and tremors felt in parts of Ipoh district yesterday.

He said investigations are still ongoing to determine the cause of the explosion-like sound, and urged the public not to speculate.

"There are no reports of property damage or loss of life due to this incident. We are still waiting for further analysis from the relevant agencies.

"We urge the public, especially those in Perak and the affected areas in Ipoh, to remain calm and not to speculate or spread unnecessary comments about the incident,” he told a press conference at the Senior Officers’ Mess here.

Noor Hisam said it was still too early to conclude whether the sound was caused by a sonic boom, pending clarification from the Perak Department of Minerals and Geoscience Malaysia (JMG).

"We have deepened our investigation into the affected areas. We have interviewed some locals and consulted geologists as well.

"From our preliminary findings, we did not find any misconduct or unauthorised blasting by quarries. The quarries are not conducting any unregulated activities.

"According to the geologists, there are no signs of man-made causes as well and for now it appears to be a natural occurrence,” he explained.

He also noted that the loud sounds and tremors have become a recurring event in the state.

"The first incident if I’m not mistaken occurred around 22 years ago, then occurred again 10 year later and now it has repeated last year and this year again.

"Based on geological study, this kind of incident is supposed to happen only once every 10 years. But now, its frequency seems to be increasing, it’s becoming a yearly occurrence,” he said.

Despite the unusual pattern, Noor Hisam advised the public to remain calm and continue with their daily routines as the situation is under control.

He added that police will be holding a special meeting with all relevant stakeholders, including quarry operators, JMG, and the Ulu Kinta General Operations Force (PGA) — which also handles explosive drills — to study the matter in greater depth.

Yesterday, residents around Ipoh claimed to have felt the tremors in several areas, including Chemor, Chepor and Tanah Hitam, at around 10.30am.

In a similar case on October 21 last year, a strong tremor was felt in several parts of the city — including Tasek, Perak Stadium, Meru, Falim, Manjoi, Chemor, and Sungai Siput — at about 11am, followed by a loud explosion.

Last year’s case remains unexplained by the authorities.