PETALING JAYA: Better early warning systems against disasters should be put in place ahead of upcoming monsoon season, says a disaster management expert.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Centre director Dr Khamarrul Azahari Razak said the early warning system should be part of a broader strategy, in tandem with the Defence Geospatial Information Management (DGIM) platform announced in Parliament on Oct 30.
He said early warning systems have four major components: disaster risk knowledge and management; detection, observation, monitoring, analysis and forecasting; warning dissemination and communications; and preparedness and response capacities.
“Early warning systems have proven to be an effective way to adapt to climate change by providing cost-effective and reliable ways of protecting lives and livelihoods from natural hazards such as floods,” he said.
An early warning system refers to an integrated system of hazard monitoring, forecasting and prediction; disaster risk assessment; communication and preparedness activities systems; and processes that enable individuals, communities, governments, businesses, and others to take timely action to reduce disaster risks in advance of hazardous events.
Khamarrul Azahari said the system should be people-centred, comprising an end-to-end system with the ability to issue multi-hazard warnings.
“Of all risk reduction and climate change adaptation measures, early warnings and early action stand as one of the best-proven and cost-effective methods in reducing deaths or losses due to disasters,” he said.
The northeast monsoon is set to begin this Saturday and last till March 2024.
On the new integrated system used for disaster management during the upcoming monsoon, Khamarrul Azahari said it was a much-needed investment to support disaster risk management when dealing with new emerging hazards, systemic risk, and compounding disasters.
“The advancements of disaster informatics through the DGIM could ensure our decision-making processes during disasters are faster, easier and more impactful.
“The response would be more targeted and recovery will be more resilient (by being) based on a needs assessment,” he added.
He said the integration of data through the DGIM could be a significant step forward to promote evidence-based disaster action covering prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery phases in Malaysia.
“While the DGIM is a valuable addition to Malaysia’s disaster preparedness efforts, it should be viewed as a complementary tool rather than a standalone solution.
“Preventing and managing disasters requires a multifaceted approach,” he said.
This comes after Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali told Parliament on Oct 30 that a new integrated system will be used beginning this month during the year-end northeast monsoon season.
Armizan said the DGIM platform will integrate data gathered by the Geospatial Information System which involves several agencies.
The early stages of the coming northeast monsoon are expected to bring heavy storms, mostly in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor and west Sarawak.
