GIVEN the global pattern of extraordinarily strong typhoons and hurricanes wreaking havoc in several countries, and the violent weather experienced in the country, the assumption is that weather patterns are changing.
It can also be assumed that these changes are attributable to global warming, a phenomenon long warned against. That being the case, we need to live with the changes and anticipate the problems that will blow Malaysia’s way.
We will need to equip the Meteorological and the Drainage and Irrigation Departments with the latest technology to enable better weather forecasting, and broadcasting of public information. On the ground, flood mitigation and rescue and relief efforts will need massive infrastructure upgrades. Better drainage systems are also urgently required.
Low-lying homes will probably need massive monsoon drains to cope with increasingly heavy rainfall. Retaining walls must be made invulnerable to water-logged soil, with better construction methods. Roofs must be able to withstand strong gusts during storms.
More needs to be done to understand the impact of climate change on the country. How unpredictable is it and what is to be done under these circumstances?
Now that global warming is a fact, Malaysians must wake up to that reality and act accordingly.
Alfred Ang, Petaling Jaya, Selangor