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  Channel NewsAsia 29 Jan 07
Malaysia says devastating floods caused losses of 1.5b ringgit

Today Online 26 Jan 07
M'sia braces for third wave of floods
Country issues 'red stage' rain warning for Johor
as Selangor warns of possible drought later this year

The Star 26 Jan 07
After floods, now dry spell

The Star 25 Jan 07
‘Third wave’ flood warning for Johor
By Florence A. Samy

PETALING JAYA: A red stage heavy rain warning has been issued for Johor, especially the eastern and southern parts of the state, which has raised fears of a third wave of floods.

As at yesterday, parts of Batu Pahat were still flooded, with the water remaining stagnant in some villages. The situation elsewhere in the state has returned to normal.

The warning issued on the Meteorological Services Department website stated that moderate to heavy rain was expected until this Sunday.

“The northeast monsoon will be more active and winds are getting stronger in the South China Sea at about 40-50kph, and will result in heavier rainfall in Johor and east Pahang,” the statement said yesterday.

According to a meteorological officer, the rain was not expected to be as heavy as that of last month or in mid-January. But a red stage warning was issued because stronger winds were bringing more clouds to Johor and because some river levels in Johor had not yet returned to normal.

State Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) director Chong Chee Han said river levels in Batu Pahat and the levels at two dams had had breached their danger mark. “The water level at the Sembrong dam is now at 12.02m (danger level: 12m) while the Bekok dam is at 18.42m (danger level: 17.5m),” he added.

A check on the DID website (http://infobanjir.water.gov.my) showed that river levels for most parts of Johor were above normal, with the water in some rivers having passed the alert to danger marks.

Chong did not discount the possibility of another round of floods and said the Government’s machinery was ready if it occurs.

“We never had 500mm of rain before but it has now happened. We never had heavy flooding twice within a month, but that too has occurred. All we can hope for is that a third wave does not happen or spill over to the middle part of the state.”

A red stage warning was also issued for Sarawak where moderately heavy rain, mainly in the late afternoon and night, is expected to continue until Sunday. The Meteorological Department issued an orange state warning for Pahang, where occasionally moderate rain is expected to last until this Sunday.

Choppy waters with waves up to 4m are expected to continue until early next week for the east coast of the peninsula.

DID director-general Datuk Keizrul Abdullah said, however, it would be “extremely unusual” to have a third wave of floods over such a short period but did not discount the possibility.

Today Online 26 Jan 07
M'sia braces for third wave of floods
Country issues 'red stage' rain warning for Johor as Selangor warns of possible drought later this year

KUALA LUMPUR--Malaysia could yet be hit by more bad weather even as it recovers from a series of floods that struck several states since last December.

The country issued on Wednesday its highest "red stage" rain warning for the southern state of Johor, triggering fears of a third wave of flooding after weeks of chaos caused by torrential downpours.

The Meteorological Services Department said in a statement late Wednesday that moderate to heavy rain was expected to persist until Sunday in Johor, which borders Singapore, and central Pahang state.

Residents in the flood zone, where tens of thousands were forced to flee to evacuation centres during the crisis which has peaked twice since late December, said they were not bothering to do repairs yet in light of the warning.

"I only cleaned up the house a little because we fear the floods will come again, for the third time," 61-year-old Hassan Saadon told the official Bernama news agency. Hassan said his family cleared up the flood damage after the first wave of floods in the closing days of 2006, only to be devastated again just two days later when bad weather returned.

State Drainage and Irrigation Department chief Chong Chee Han said river levels had already beached their danger mark. "We never had heavy flooding twice within a month, but that too has occurred. All we can hope for is that a third wave does not happen," he told The Star newspaper.

Selangor's Chief Minister Mohd Khir Toyo also warned Wednesday that he expected extreme weather in the state in the next few months. According to the New Straits Times, he said heavy rains are forecasted to fall between tomorrow and Sunday, followed by an extreme dry spell that could lead to drought.

"No doubt our dams are full now but the weather may change. We may experience drought between March and August," he was quoted as saying and reminded the public to be more prudent in its water usage.

Floods also hit Selangor on Sunday, leading to the evacuation of over 30 families. Other states to have experienced flooding in the past month included Pahang and Sarawak.

The floods are reportedly the worst in a century to hit the country. They have already claimed 17 lives and caused damage worth US$100 million ($1.53 million) to infrastructure in the south. The private sector has reportedly estimated economic losses at over US$685 million. ? AFP

The Star 26 Jan 07
After floods, now dry spell

Natural Resources and Environment Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Sazmi Miah said the El-Nino was expected to hit Malaysia by end-February and last till July or August.

States with limited water catchment areas have been advised to begin taking precautions to ensure that they had adequate water supply throughout the dry season, Sazmi said after opening a business course at Balai Islam here.

Sazmi said the current warning on heavy rainfall should last another two weeks. Johoreans have already been alerted on the possibility of a third round of floods.

After this, the El-Nino phenomenon would be the biggest worry for the ministry. Sazmi said the public should drink more fluids and get details on how to cope with the extreme weather conditions through related websites.

He added that it was still too early to gauge which states would bear the brunt of the El-Nino effects but it was best for everyone to heed the warning of extreme heat and drought.

On the current situation, Sazmi urged Kelantanese to continue to be still on guard for floods as the ongoing monsoon would only end in February. He also said that Kelantan was dicing with nature because of excessive logging activities.

Channel NewsAsia 29 Jan 07
Malaysia says devastating floods caused losses of 1.5b ringgit

PUTRAJAYA - Two waves of devastating floods mostly in Malaysia's south have seen damages of at least 1.5 billion ringgit (US$428.27 million), the government said Monday. Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said the figure did not include estimates of personal and commercial damages, signalling losses were set to skyrocket further.

"We have discovered that the damages in terms of the government's account, which includes rehabilitation, damaged infrastructure and others, is at least 1.5 billion ringgit," Najib told reporters. "These damages do not include personal and commercial losses," he said. The figure includes repairs to infrastructure, including roads and bridges, which will cost some 350 million ringgit, he said.

The worst-hit state of Johor in Malaysia's south experiences annual flooding, but residents have said the recent floods, which saw rivers bursting banks amid massive drainage problems, were the worst in a century.

The first wave of floods which started in late December forced 134,000 people to flee their homes in Johor, while the second in early January saw 148,000 people evacuated, according to government figures. Eighteen people have been killed in the floods, mostly in Johor.

"The floods this time were more severe and more widespread in the state of Johor," said Najib, adding authorities are discussing future flood mitigation plans.

Over 30,000 people are still in sheltering in relief centres in one of the worst-hit districts of Batu Pahat in Johor, where flood waters are only slowly receding, the state Bernama news agency said Monday.

Flooding has also caused damage and forced evacuations in western, central and eastern states on Borneo island.

Malaysia's agriculture sector has also been severely damaged, with thousands of farmers and livestock breeders suffering losses of tens of millions of ringgit, according to the government.

However, Najib sidestepped questions on the overall impact of the floods on Malaysia's economy, vowing instead the government would help affected businesses.

"There are schemes that we will undertake. We are trying to coordinate between (the central bank) and the trade ministry to help small businesses, traders and others who are affected," he said. - AFP/ir
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