Be prepared for more extreme weather in M'sia, warn experts

The sudden flash floods at the foothills of Gunung Jerai in Yan, Kedah, on Aug 18, which claimed six lives and was caused by the headwater phenomenon in the higher altitudes of the mountain, are a grim indication of a possible extreme rainfall event that may be associated with climate change.

Pointing to the possibility of such incidents recurring more frequently in this country, Malaysian environmental experts believe that the headwater phenomenon in Gunung Jerai – attributed to logging activities in the area by some groups – is linked to global warming, the main culprit behind climate change.

The unpredictability of today’s global climate and weather system is visibly impacting temperature, rainfall and humidity patterns, to the extent of triggering natural disasters on a more frequent basis.

In July and August this year, excessive rainfall was recorded in other countries, among them Henan province in China, south Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Holland, Austria and Turkey, where massive floods and landslides cost hundreds of lives...