Gear up: Motorcyclists stopping along the Penang Bridge to take shelter and to put on their raincoats as a heavy shower hits the area. — KT GOH/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Penang and Kedah are on full alert as Malaysia braces for the La Nina season which is expected to bring heavy rain and possible flooding until December.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said all technical agencies and rescue teams had been mobilised.
“The Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) has carried out maintenance of retention ponds, rivers and drains at identified flood-prone areas,” he said yesterday.
He said DID had serviced hydrological stations, telemetric systems and flood-warning equipment to ensure they function properly. Under the state Disaster Management Committee, boats, mobile pumps, lorries and four-wheel-drive vehicles are on standby for quick deployment.
Flood operation control centres at state and district levels have also been activated.
Chow said 389 temporary evacuation centres across the state could be opened at short notice, while coordination with the Welfare Department and other agencies had been strengthened.
“From the agencies to local communities, everyone has a role in alerting authorities should any incident occur,” he said.
In Kedah, Civil Defence Force deputy director Major Muhammad Suhaimi Mohd Zain urged the public to stay vigilant and prepare for possible floods.
“Keep important documents in safe places and get ready an emergency bag with medicines, torchlight, dry food, water, clothing and power banks,” he said.
He reminded motorists to drive slowly in heavy rain and to switch on headlights.
“Preparedness and caution are key to minimising risks during La Nina,” he said.
Universiti Sains Malaysia atmospheric physicist Assoc Prof Dr Yusri Yusup said La Nina would typically bring increased rainfall and extended wet seasons, though its effects differed across regions.
“Coastal areas, hilly regions and low- lying towns are especially vulnerable to flash floods, landslides and crop damage,” he said.
He noted that MetMalaysia’s National Climate Centre had forecast a brief La Nina episode in early 2026, which could disrupt rainfall patterns before conditions return to normal.
“If it materialises, heavier monsoon rains can be expected in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and parts of Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.
