Malaysia’s ‘once in 100 years’ flood exposes reality of climate change, better disaster planning needed, say Experts

Kuala Lumpur: Floods that resulted from torrential rain in many states of Peninsular Malaysia over the weekend exposed the reality of extreme weather patterns caused by climate change, according to environmental experts interviewed by CNA.

Authorities urged to do more

With such events expected to happen more frequently in the future, experts also urged the authorities to do more in terms of disaster planning and promoting sustainable development. Environmentalist Renard Siew said that the floods that hit several states, including Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan, Pahang, Melaka and Terengganu last Friday and Saturday is a clear example of an unpredictable weather event as a result of high carbon emissions.

Mr Siew, who is the climate change advisor to the Centre for Governance and Political Studies (Cent-GPS), a Malaysia-based behavioral and social science research firm, explained: “When we pump out carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, what tends to happens is that this creates a global seeping effect where greenhouse gases trap heat and under warmer conditions, our atmosphere is able to hold more vapour and moisture.”

“When you have an accumulation effect, the longer-term impact of this is that you have sudden downpour of rain in certain localised areas, and that is what you have seen in the floods over Malaysia in the last few days,” he added.

‘Harder for climatologists to predict the weather’

Mr Siew said that the northeast monsoon, which happens in Malaysia between November and March, typically impacts the east coast of the peninsula. However, he noted that this year’s floods also affected areas in the centre of the peninsula as well as the west coast.

“It’s becoming harder for climatologists to predict the weather with a higher level of accuracy due to the climate change phenomenon,” said Mr Siew.

“The (Malaysian) government has said that the flood is a once in a hundred years event. But to be honest, over the years we’ve seen so many of these extreme weather events happening across China, Germany and New York,” he added.

This sentiment was echoed by environment lecturer at Universiti Putra Malaysia Haliza Abdul Rahman, who noted that there had been an increase in flood events recently.

She noted how in August, sudden flash floods at the foothills of Gunung Jerai in Yan, Kedah claimed six lives.

She added that In July and August, excessive rainfall recorded in other countries, among them being Henan province in China, Germany and Turkey led to massive floods and landslides.