We can’t just blame the rain for Malaysia's disastrous floods in December

This debris that was cleared out of the water had been swept down the hills by rain and lodged in Sungai Telemong, Pahang, blocking the river and causing severe flooding in nearby Orang Asli villages. Can we still blame the rain? — Sunway Centre for Planetary Health

I am sure that many of you, like me, are still reeling from the emotional and, for many, physical impact of the recent floods. While our hearts go out to those who have been affected, our heads need to acknow-ledge that nature is angry at what we have done to our country and planet, and is reacting accordingly.

What we are observing and experiencing is a coalition of crises, where climate and health are colliding with deadly effect. The Omicron variant of Covid-19 has arrived, causing new misery – now combined with floods and population displacement, creating a new set of health and welfare challenges.