Local authorities need seven measures to curb flood issues, says expert

SHAH ALAM - Floods will have an impact on the mental and emotions of those affected, in addition to loss of their property.

Following the yearly heavy floods mainly in East Coast states, experts have put forward seven recommendations to reduce the impact in the future.

Meteorologist from National Antartic Research Center Professor Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah said his suggestion includes deepening of rivers.

Other suggestions are to widen and deepen the drainage system, provide a reservoir flood, preserve mangrove buffer zones and install high capacity pump system.

For that, Azizan said local authorities should issue guidelines to residents who live in high risk flood areas.

"If you want to build a house at flood prone areas, the local authority need to prepare a proper design and structure," he said.

Citing an example, he said homes on standstills to protect structure and loss of property.

"All this requires the sensitivity and awareness of the local authority," he told Sinar Harian.

"Likewise you need to choose a suitable location to build a hospital or school not at hillside, shore or river," he explained.

In addition, he said, river deepening process and proper development plans should be looked into.

"There is an effect from development due to logging which results in erosion and soil deposits leading to the river becomes shallow.

"The root issue is related to land clearing and carrying a hill without a plan sedimentation control.

"The process of deepening the river is good but what's more good is to reduce erosion and deposits first," he added.

Azizan said preparing a reservoir pond is also the best way to store excess water which can be released again when the river level drops.

"This concept is used by the Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (Smart) at the capital city," he said.

He also said the mangrove buffer zones should be preserved to reduce the impact of floods in some areas.

Azizan also suggested for a high-capacity pump system to be added in flood-affected areas as an effort to curb the flood issue in the nation.

Next, he said, efforts to widen and deepen the drainage system must be made to ensure flow the water becomes smoother.

"Efforts to expand and deepening the trench is closely related with a flash floods. These ditches serves to bring water to river or sea, during high tide," he said.