ADRIAN DAVID New Straits Times 24 Aug 15;
KUALA TERENGGANU: Allaying fears of rough seas and thunderstorms, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has denied such phenomenon is to strike the shores of peninsular Malaysia.
The ministry’s Malaysian Meteorology Department (MetMalaysia) only expects slightly rough seas of 1.5m high and intermittent rains in the afternoons throughout the east coast of the peninsular and other parts of it.
It also put to rest speculation of impending floods in the east coast states of Terengganu and Kelantan as the year-end monsoon looms.
A MetMalaysia spokesman said that the El Nino warming of sea surface temperatures over the Pacific was, however, expected to increase from moderate to high from next month (September), according to the Malaysian Meteorology Department.
MetMalaysia’s National Climatic Centre predicts the situation to prolong throughout next year with increased readings exceeding 90 per cent.
The Oceanic Nino Index, she said, for May-June-July showed a one-degree Celsius increase and a two-degree Celsius rise for August this year.“This can have a spill-over effect towards the western Pacific and lead to slightly rough seas and storms.
“However, thus far, the region, including South East Asia is forecast to have intermittent rain in the afternoon in most parts of the country,” said said.
She added that for East Malaysia, Typhoon Goni and Atsani from the western Pacific affected Limbang and Miri in Sarawak, and Kudat and Labuan in Sabah.
“Typhoon Goni is moving northerly towards the Philippines and Taiwan, while Typhoon Atsani is heading towards southern Japan.
“Warnings have been issued to fishermen and operators of small boats,” she said.
State govt starts major mitigation projects after losing RM300mil last year
The Star 25 Aug 15;
KUALA TERENGGANU: The state government has embarked on nine major flood mitigation projects worth RM154mil after experiencing one of the worst floods last year, said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman.
Apart from the nine, two other such projects – the building of water passages from Kampung Padang Bual mosque to Sungai Angga bridge in Besut and flood mitigation work in Taman Rakyat in Hulu Terengganu district – have been completed.
“The work we have done includes to deepen, widen and straighten the winding rivers which slowed down the flow of water into the sea,” he said yesterday.
Of the nine projects, three will be completed by December, three next year, two in 2017, and one in 2018.
The projects, said Ahmad Razif, would help cut floods in Terengganu by more than 70%.
Also included was the Chukai-Kemaman Phase Two flood mitigation project under the 11th Malaysia Plan, which costs more than RM340mil, he added.
“Each time there is a major flood, the state incurs losses amounting to millions of ringgit,” he said, adding that the state government lost RM304mil because of floods last year.
He said the state had to immediately implement the flood mitigation projects and not merely place it as a priority under the 11th Malaysia Plan, which will only start next year.
“There is definitely a need to give priority to flood mitigation projects in the state,” he added.
