NIBONG TEBAL – Some coastal areas in Penang will have to contend with rising sea levels in five years, and flash floods inland will become more frequent, warned Deputy Environment and Water Minister Datuk Mansor Othman.
He said this is because winds and rainfall are expected to be more severe in inland areas.
Seeing that climate change is inevitable, he said, the ministry will embark on a campaign to ensure Malaysians understand the major impact to come, as well as to prepare them for the ill effects.
“We must get our nation ready for the effects of climate change. For starters, people must discard their bad habit of dumping waste into our drainage system, and must help the authorities protect the sensitive ecology,” he told reporters after visiting flood-mitigation projects here.
The campaign will target youth and include community outreach to grow more trees to mitigate flash floods, he said.
Earlier, Mansor announced that RM16.5 million has been allocated to widen Sg Kechil here, and RM11 million to fortify the riverbanks in Sanglang here.
The two major flood-mitigation projects will be undertaken by the state Irrigation and Drainage Department. – The Vibes, September 4, 2021
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