Exceptional Heavy Rainfall Cause Of East Coast Floods - DPM Fadillah

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- The exceptional heavy rainfall, exceeding 1,000 mm, equivalent to six months' worth of rainfall in Kelantan and Terengganu, has been the primary cause of the devastating floods impacting numerous districts and regions along the East Coast.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said that based on records from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS), river water levels in both states were also higher this time compared to the major floods in 2014.

"This unusually heavy rainfall resulted in an extraordinary amount of precipitation, with some areas receiving more than double the usual volume. The situation was further exacerbated by the high tides phenomenon," he explained.

"When the high river and sea levels converge, it causes overflows," he said after a briefing on flood preparations from JPS officials during his visit to the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (PRABN) in Ampang today.

Fadillah, who is also the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), said that as of Dec 2, PRABN had issued 31 early warning notices across 11 states, including Johor, Kelantan, and Terengganu.

"Twenty-seven flood warning notices have been issued, covering 27 districts and 518 flood-prone areas. The latest flood warnings have been issued for seven areas in Besut and three areas in Setiu, with a risk of flooding expected between Dec 3 and 6," he noted.

Fadillah also reported that all dams nationwide remain under control, with no overflow that could trigger flooding.

However, he did not rule out the possibility of flooding in Pahang and Johor, due to the anticipated flow of water from Kelantan and Terengganu into these states.

"According to forecasts, the floodwaters will move downstream to Pahang and Johor. So, we are staying on high alert," he said.

Commenting on the potential second wave of floods between Dec 8 and 14 due to the monsoon surge, he said the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) is on alert to monitor and disseminate information to the media and the public. 

"According to the forecast from the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), continuous rainfall is expected during this period, but we are unsure of the volume... however, we will be ready if the intensity is heavier than our current experience," he said.

Earlier, Fadillah received a briefing from JPS officers regarding the floods recorded since Nov 5, following the onset of the northeast monsoon.

Based on JPS data, 289 incidences of floods have been recorded during this monsoon season, with 116 of them occurring in Terengganu.

The three main types of flooding identified are monsoon floods, flash floods, and coastal floods.

-- BERNAMA