Thunderstorms forecast across several Malaysian states though no rain expected in flood-hit Kelantan, Terengganu

KUALA LUMPUR: Thunderstorms are expected to roll in across parts of Malaysia on Tuesday (Dec 27) evening, the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) warned, though no rain forecast has been issued for Kelantan and Terengganu – the two east coast states most affected by the recent flooding disaster.

The states forecast to experience the thunderstorms include Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Selangor, Sabah and Sarawak as well as the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

In Sarawak, six districts will see thunderstorms, namely Kuching, Samarahan, Betong, Sarikei, Sibu and Mukah.

In Sabah, the thunderstorms are expected to affect the interior region, the west coast, Tawau, Sandakan, Kudat and the federal territory of Labuan. It is expected to continue in most of these places through the night.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) had also warned on Tuesday that rainfall is expected to last in the Borneo state until Wednesday.

According to NADMA, there are five flood-affected states in the country as of Tuesday morning - Kelantan, Terengganu, Sarawak, Sabah, and Perak. Over one thousand flood victims are recorded in Sabah alone, including those who had been evacuated due to a king tide phenomenon there.

According to The Star, such a phenomenon occurs when the orbital alignments of the Earth, moon and Sun combine to create a powerful tidal effect. 

The situation in flood-hit areas of Kelantan has improved as well, with a reduction in the number of evacuees in the state, Bernama reported. All of the evacuees have been placed at five flood relief centres in the Pasir Mas and Tumpat districts.

NADMA has since said that all of the states are now in a post-disaster phase and are focusing on clean-up as well as recovery work.

EFFECTS OF NORTHEAST MONSOON ‘MORE SERIOUS’

Speaking to reporters in Sabah on Tuesday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Armizan Mohd Ali said that the effects of the current northeast monsoon season appears to be more serious as compared to the last occurrence.

According to a Bernama report, Mr Armizan said that the number of victims evacuated due to the natural disasters caused by the northeast monsoon this year has now reached 121,864 people within a month. This is about 67 per cent of the total number of victims as compared to the whole monsoon season previously. 

The Papar Member of Parliament was in Sabah visiting two villages - Kampung Forest and Kampung Tinusa 2 - which had been affected by the king tide phenomenon. 

Commenting on the incident, Mr Armizan said that the government will look into the recommendations and suggestions of district disaster management committees, especially in Sandakan, on whether houses in Kampung Forest were safe for residents to occupy.

More than 100 houses there collapsed last weekend after being struck during a king tide. 

Mr Armizan added that among the proposed temporary solutions was to place all the victims at relief centres for a longer period. 

Last Wednesday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that Kelantan and Terengganu would each receive flood aid of RM50 million (US$11 million) to assist flood victims.

Mr Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said in parliament the day before that the government had initially allocated RM400 million to NADMA to deal with the national flood emergency.

Floods are an annual phenomenon in Malaysia due to the northeast monsoon that brings heavy rain from November to March.

In the same month last year, the country was battered by its worst floods in history when more than 50 people died and thousands more were displaced.