Loud bang over Ipoh could be sonic boom, says expert

IPOH: The loud noise and tremor felt in several areas around Ipoh on Monday (Oct 21) have sparked new questions, with claims suggesting they were caused by a sonic boom from a fighter jet.

This speculation follows a similar incident reported in Perth, Australia, last August. It involved four F-15 jets from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) conducting exercises near a military air base in Western Australia.

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Defence analyst Zaki Salleh said that this scenario is possible, as sonic booms can produce high levels of sound energy when aircraft fly faster than the speed of sound.

“Sonic booms do not affect the aircraft, and there is no explosion in the air. However, only the authorities, including aviation and military officials, can confirm the actual source of the noise,” he explained to Sinar Harian..

Zaki mentioned that while sonic booms can cause public concern and anxiety, they usually do not damage buildings.

“If the sound waves are too strong, windows might crack or shatter. However, structures are generally built to withstand vibrations,” he added.

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Sinar Harian reported a strong tremor felt in several areas around Ipoh, including Tasek, Stadium Perak, Meru, Falim, Manjoi, and by users of the North-South Expressway (PLUS) near the Menora Tunnel at around 11am on Monday.

The tremor, lasting a few seconds, was accompanied by a loud bang, causing alarm among the public.

Perak police confirmed that the tremor and loud noise were not due to security forces’ explosive training or quarry activities.

A similar incident occurred in October 2018 in the city and nearby districts, including Taiping, but the cause remains a mystery.

At that time, the Perak Mineral and Geoscience Department denied any quarry activities during the incident.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department also denied that the tremor and loud noise resulted from an earthquake, and the Air Force clarified that it was unrelated to their training exercises.