KUALA LUMPUR: The environment and water ministry is working on developing a water column warning system to warn surrounding residents of incoming flash floods, with the system to be tested in Kedah’s Gunung Jerai first.
Deputy minister Mansor Othman told the Dewan Rakyat the ministry planned to use this as an early warning system for floods, particularly in areas often hit by the problem.
“For a start, it has been proposed that the system would be tested in Gunung Jerai. If it is found to be successful in giving early warning to residents, the system will be expanded to other locations, including recreational areas.
“The system involves a rainfall and water level observation station, which will be equipped with sirens,” he said in answer to a question from Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji (PH-Raub).
Mansor said the construction of the system will require the cooperation of the state governments and the forestry department, since most of the stations would need to be set up in forest reserves.
This comes after torrential rainfall on the summit of Gunung Jerai sent massive amounts of water gushing through streams in its valleys and rapidly bursting into towns at the foothills like a tsunami in August.
According to the meteorological department, 278mm of rainfall was measured on the mountain range, exceeding a 70-year average recurrence interval.
Merbok and Gurun saw water levels of 0.2m to 0.3m high. In smaller towns in the coastal Yan district, waters rose to 1.5m, about the height of a small car.
The waters receded a day later, leaving layers of mud everywhere. At least 3,000 people were out of clean water supply because of broken pipes while some were left without electricity because a fallen tree had brought down a power supply pole. - FMT
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