Flood forecasting, warning system to be implemented nationwide

JITRA: The Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) will implement the Flood Forecasting and Warning System (PRAB) in stages nationwide.
Natural Resources and Environment Deputy Minister, Datuk Dr Hamim Samuri said the PRAB system could predict a flood at least two days before the disaster, and improve the system's announcement and alerting capabilities from six hours to two days in advance.
"Currently, Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang have the system as the three states in the east coast area are hit by floods every year.
"After this, we will implement the system nationwide, especially in flood-prone states, among them Kedah, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak," he told reporters after officiating the DID's 2017 Innovation Day Celebration Ceremony here today.
On Oct 9, Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar disclosed the second phase of PRAB would be implemented with a focus on Kedah, Penang and Klang Valley.

Meanwhile, Hamim said the DID needed to look into and re-evaluate rainfall data because the recorded weather data was no longer relevant as rainfall patterns had changed and the acquisition of new data could help draw up new flood mitigation plans.
In another development, he said the National Water Resources Bill was being fine-tuned and was expected to be tabled in Parliament later this month, but seeing that there was not enough time it would most probably be tabled at the next session.
Among the proposals of the draft bill are to look for new water catchment resources based on changes in rainfall distribution that no longer falls within the designated water catchment areas, and to improve the drainage system nationwide. — Bernama