KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has a lower risk of being hit by natural disasters compared to other countries in East Asia and the Pacific region because it is not in the typhoon belt, and its location near the Pacific Ring of Fire does not pose a significant seismic risk.
However, climate scientists are predicting that by 2030, a quarter of the population will be displaced due to climate change.
In a statement by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) earlier this year, torrential rains caused rivers to burst their banks, flooding hundreds of communities across seven eastern and southern states and triggering 43,000 people to be displaced between January 3 and 19.
“Movement restrictions imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19 hindered evacuation and rescue efforts in both cases. Around 7,000 people were still living in displacement in Malaysia as a result of floods as of the end of the year.
“Floods, landslides, drought, and wildfires take place, with the former triggering most internal displacements,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, deforestation, land degradation, and the development of densely populated areas on flood plains without adequate drainage systems have played a role in increasing flood damages, losses, and displacement risk in recent years.
Floods normally happen during the annual monsoon season from October to March.
People are forced to move abruptly in the face of disaster as a result of preemptive evacuation.
“During storms and floods, children are at a higher risk of getting hurt or losing their lives. Lives may be saved, but many children still face the dangers and challenges that come with being uprooted from their homes, often for extended periods.
“Floods triggered around 129,000 internal displacements in 2021, compared to 24,000 in 2020. The most significant displacement occurred at the end of 2021 when around 68,000 new movements were recorded across ten states,” the statement said.
Much of the rainfall was associated with Tropical Depression 29W, which dumped 316.5mm of rainfall in the Klang district on December 18.
“This compares with an average monthly rainfall of 202mm for the country as a whole. The three worst-affected states were Pahang, which recorded 34,000 displacements, Selangor (32,000), and Kelantan (1,600).
“When climate disasters force families to leave their homes, access to safe water and sanitation is often disrupted,” it said. – October 6, 2023
