KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 — The current flood situations especially in the east coast states of the peninsula and Johor are not expected to be as bad as the floods which had hit the states previously.
Malaysian Meteorological Department’s (MetMalaysia) director-general Jailan Simon said MetMalaysia only expected normal floods like those that happened every year.
‘’This means that floods occur as usual, we do not expect them to be as big as those in 2014 or 2013 in Kemaman (Terengganu), as well as in Johor, we do not expect floods as big as in 2006 and 2007.
“So, this year, it is more or less normal floods, only this year in Pahang it is a bit big,” he told a press conference at the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre here, today.
Also present were the Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA) secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Ir Zaini Ujang and the Irrigation and Drainage Department director-general Datuk Ir Nor Hisham Mohd Ghazali.
Jailan said in terms of the latest forecast, MetMalaysia still maintained alert weather warnings in Kelantan and Terengganu, but the warning has been terminated for Johor and Pahang.
“It means we do not expect heavy rain for the next few days,” he said.
However, he said the Northeast Monsoon situation which caused floods in several states in peninsular Malaysia was expected to end in the middle or the third week of this month.
“Indeed, we actually expect the Northeast Monsoon to only end in the middle or the third week of March.
However, for the peninsula, the monsoon period usually ends in the middle or the third week of January, “he said.
Jailan said MetMalaysia also expected the weather conditions to improve in Johor and Pahang within this one week, while Kelantan and Terengganu were predicted to still experience rain in the morning and evening.
“However, the possibility of (floods) in Johor and Pahang is still high because it is still early January.
‘’But after that we have to ‘watchout’ in Sabah and Sarawak because they will receive rain or flood season between January and February, “he said.
The national flood disaster reportedly also affected four other states, namely Perak, Terengganu, Kelantan and Selangor, after Johor and Pahang which were hit by the disaster earlier.
— Bernama
