KUALA TERENGGANU – The forecast of Terengganu to be hit by a serious dry spell and floods in the next five or 10 years may cause state residents to worry, but they have been assured to not panic.
Associate Prof Mohd Khairul Amri Kamarudin, a deputy dean of the Faculty of Applied Social Sciences in Sultan Zainal Abidin University (UniSZA), said residents should instead exercise prudent use of water supply.
He added that relevant authorities should also make necessary preparations, including managing the Tasik Kenyir dam, as well as Syarikat Air Terengganu Sdn Bhd and Lembaga Sumber Air Terengganu.
Khairul Amri said Terengganu has the Kenyir Dam, which is one of the largest dams in Southeast Asia, and it plays an important role in the management of water resources in the state’s river basin.
“Prior to the construction of a dam, various studies, such as an environmental impact assessment (EIA), had been conducted to anticipate the impact and role of the dam in addressing drought or flood issues on the ecosystem.
“Usually, the results of the study will give an ideal value to the dam management to release water in various situations, including during a drought, to ensure survival of the habitat in risky areas.”
Recently, the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia said Terengganu will experience severe drought between 2025 and 2030 due to the El Nino phenomenon, followed by more frequent floods between 2030 and 2035 in line with the emergence of La Nina.
It is the result of an evaluation report made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change using the “big data” method.
Khairul Amri said the state’s water operator needs to be prepared to face the drought, even though the state has many water resources.
“On December 1, the state government had set up Syarikat Air Terengganu in hopes for a more efficient and integrated management of water resources in Terengganu, where almost all bodies related to water management in the state are placed under the supervision of Lembaga Sumber Air Terengganu.
“This is a good initiative, as various policies and guidelines in maintaining water resources in the state can be sustainably managed and integrated, including long-term action to deal with the drought issue based on the predictions made,” he added.
Asked on preparations for major floods, Khairul Amri said the Kenyir dam has proven to be very effective in controlling water flow during the big floods in Terengganu in 2014.
“The dam management lowered the water level in the lake to make early preparations to receive high rainfall at the beginning of the monsoon season and as a result, the residential areas near Sg Terengganu, such as Kuala Terengganu, Kuala Nerus and part of Marang, were not flooded at that time.
“However, more thorough preparations need to be made so that floods due to heavy rainfall in other districts can be minimised to reduce losses,” he said. – Bernama, December 18, 2020
