KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 23 — The dissemination of all information related to the flood situation in the country is channelled to the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) to coordinate disaster agency operations at the state and district levels.
Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) director-general Datuk Md Nasir Md Noh said since the 2022 – 2023 northeast monsoon started on November 7, the department’s National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (PRABN) had been using a flood forecasting model and issued 32 two-days-in-advance flood warning bulletins to the residents in the states involved.
He said the model which began implementation in 2015, had four main components, namely detection, information and communication technology (ICT); flood forecasting and notification; and a list of flood hotspots for the year 2022, involving 5,496 areas nationwide.
“For the purpose of more widespread dissemination of information to the public, flood warning announcements are also displayed on the Publicinfobanjir portal, as well as DID’s official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram,” he said in a statement today.
The statement referred to a media report today which claimed that the country suffers a loss of RM36 billion a year due to floods, which stemmed from a weak flood warning system.
According to Md Nasir, PRABN also issued 63 water level forecast notices and 27 flash flood preparedness notices throughout the country, besides preparing 36 flood hazard maps which are shared with other government agencies and members of the public for reference purposes.
“We also provide communication, education and public awareness programmes for residents on the East Coast, especially those residing near the Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang river basins, for flood preparedness based on the flood warning issued by JPS,” he added.
— Bernama
