George town: The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) is adopting satellite-based remote sensing technology and conducting physical on-site inspections to evaluate the health of trees. This decision follows an incident where a tree fell at Jalan Macalister, causing injuries.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, MBPP Mayor Datuk A. Rajendran emphasized the necessity of these measures to identify trees that can be conserved and rehabilitated, as well as those that require removal for safety. The Angsana tree that fell on Jalan Macalister, believed to be around 90 years old with a trunk circumference of approximately 3.9 meters, landed on a car, injuring an elderly couple and their granddaughter.

Mayor Rajendran stated, "Most trees in the George Town area are between 70 and 120 years old. We utilize satellite-based remote sensing technology and physical on-site inspections to assess their health. MBPP will rehabilitate trees that can be saved, while those that cannot will be felled." He noted that the injured individuals are receiving treatment at Penang Hospital and that MBPP officers are at the hospital to provide necessary assistance.

Penang Fire and Rescue Department Operations and Firefighting assistant director, John Sagun Francis, identified the injured as Loh Kok Kim, 66, who sustained chest injuries, his wife Lee Geok Suan, 68, with injuries to her nose and chest, and their granddaughter Emily Loh Tze Ying, 8, who suffered a hand injury.