Keeping updated: Alif Azari showing the Rain Alarm app on his phone at Kampung Bagan Lebai Tahir in Butterworth, Penang. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
BUTTERWORTH: Some villagers living along the coast are now putting their faith and trust on a high-tech app to ensure they stay dry during the northeast monsoon.
Logistics executive Alif Azari Abdul Aziz, 33, downloaded the Rain Alarm app on his smartphone to receive early alerts about approaching rains and thunderstorms.
This came after he suffered a traumatic episode on Sept 17 when his home in Kampung Bagan Lebai Tahir was battered by powerful waves.
Recalling the incident, Alif Azari said he was stunned by the unexpectedly high waves that flooded much of the village.
“I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’d never seen waves this fierce. Almost the entire village was hit,” he said.
During the storms from Sept 17 to 21, many roadside trees fell on cars and houses while 202 families comprising 760 people were affected in Penang.
A devastating combination of strong winds and unusually high tides led to waves crashing against coastal areas.
Alif Azari and his neighbours had since downloaded the weather app to stay ahead of any disruptions during the northeast monsoon, and be updated through weather forecasts.
His cousin, Mohd Shafirul Mohamad Nor, 31, who lives next door, also finds the app invaluable during the monsoon season.
The fisherman said he started using the app after the village was inundated during the high-tide phenomenon in September.
“With real-time rain alerts, I can decide the best time to go to sea or adjust my plans accordingly,” he said.
Former fisherman Mohamad Nor Saad, 59, keeps a “to-go bag” ready, in which he stores all his important documents, for emergencies.
“With the help of my sons and nephew, we also moved our motorcycles and car to higher ground,” he said.
