IPOH: Perak police today urged the public to remain calm and not to make any speculation regarding the sound of an explosion that shook the town this morning.
Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris said police received information about the incident at 11.06am today.
"Checks with the Ulu Kinta General Operations Force (GOF) revealed that there was no training related to explosions conducted today.
"We have also checked with the Land and Mines Office and found that no explosion took place in the quarry areas scheduled before noon.
"Checks with the Malaysian Meteorological Department found no seismic activity in the Kinta district, even though an earthquake was reported in Halmahera, Indonesia, at 11.24am," he said in a statement today.
Azizi said the police are investigating the incident, and the public who have information are requested to contact the Perak Contingent Control Centre at 05-2451119 or 05-2451073.
"The public is also asked to remain calm and not to make any speculation regarding this incident that could cause public anxiety," he said.
Earlier, it was reported that several areas in Ipoh town experienced tremors and the sound of an explosion this morning.
Social media users reported feeling tremors in Medan Istana, Tasek, Stadium Perak, Meru, Falim, Klebang, Manjoi, and Tanjung Rambutan.
Motorists travelling on the North-South Expressway (PLUS) near the Menora Tunnel also reported similar incidents.
Meanwhile, Defence security analyst Zaki Salleh said the loud explosion heard in Ipoh today might have been from a sonic boom.
Zaki said a sonic boom is the sound associated with shock waves generated by an object moving through the air faster than the speed of sound.
"This sonic boom produces a very high sound energy because aircraft travel at supersonic speeds.
"The sound of the sonic boom does not cause any harm to the aircraft, and there is no explosion occurring in the air," he said when contacted today.
He added that military protocols typically restrict supersonic flight to operations over water to minimise the impact on populated areas.
"Authorities should respond when a sonic boom occurs to avoid causing concern among the public," he said.
He added that only confirmation from the authorities, including aviation authorities or the military, can verify the true cause of the sound.