Malaysia: Government ready to tackle floods this year

The government is ready to face the floods that are expected in the monsoon season this year, having taken on disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) as a national agenda, says Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, reports the Malaysian Reserve.

Last week the Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) Minister Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau said the ministry will provide data on climate and the current situation to the National Disaster Management Agency so that early preparations can be made especially at high-risk places in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Apart from supplying information, Mosti will also use technology like satellite imagery to monitor situations so that various flood programmes can be activated earlier.

Abdul Rahman said its ministry along with several other ministries, agencies and local authorities have drawn up various DRR and CCA policies and measures, to be implemented in response to the Hyogo Framework of Actions 2005-2015.