LETTER | KL floods a wake-up call for better preparedness

LETTER | On Tuesday, Oct 15, Kuala Lumpur was hit by severe floods after intense rainfall began around 8.30am, with over 60mm per hour drenching the city.

This heavy and prolonged downpour quickly overwhelmed our inadequate drainage systems, causing flash floods and leaving motorists stranded on 11 major roads.

The question on many people’s minds is: where was the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) during this?

There were no early warnings, no alerts. Many of us would expect MetMalaysia to issue timely weather forecasts, helping residents brace for such extreme conditions.

Instead, motorists were caught in traffic, cars were damaged, and frustration ran high at traffic light junctions that became chaotic free-for-alls when they stopped working.

Could this have been avoided? Perhaps. Early warnings could have allowed people to plan ahead - delaying their trips, using public transport, or simply staying home if their business wasn’t urgent.

Instead, many were caught in the storm, resulting in unnecessary delays, stress, and damage.

While the Smart (Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel) system did divert some of the floodwater, why did it only kick in at 10.30am - two hours after the rain started? That delay added to the chaos.

Looking at other countries, such as the US, residents in Florida received early warnings about upcoming hurricanes (Helena and Milton), with clear categorisation of severity. This gave them time to take precautions, saving lives and reducing damage.

It’s time for a serious review of MetMalaysia’s capacity. We need better technology, more manpower, and expert personnel to accurately predict and provide early warnings.

With climate change leading to more frequent and severe weather events, Malaysia must improve its ability to manage these risks.

Rapid urbanisation has also played a role. The unchecked development of green spaces, like those around Bukit Kiara, has reduced natural absorption areas, increasing runoff and flooding. We must address this if we want to avoid future disasters.

The floods should be a wake-up call. If we don’t improve how we handle heavy rains, we’re only going to see more damage, stress, and inconvenience for KL’s residents.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.