Are we ready for the wet season?

MALAYSIA is once again entering the wet season.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has forecasted thunderstorms, strong winds and a lot of rain over the next few months – no surprise there.

But despite its familiarity, the north-east monsoon always seems to catch us unawares. Yes, we know what to expect, but it’s still so hard to see your home inundated or roads cut off and having your life disrupted.

Science can explain it: from November to March, moisture-laden winds sweep in from the South China Sea.

Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu usually see the heaviest downpours, with some of the rain also spreading south to Johor and across to Sabah and Sarawak.

With all that water falling from the heavens, rivers will swell, hillsides risk collapse, and waves at sea can get as high as 3m to 5m.

The west coast of the peninsula doesn’t escape either and will likely see heavier storms and flash floods in many low-lying areas across the western region in the next few months.

The science explains and predicts it, yes, but it’s still difficult to live through it.

Over time, Malaysians have tended to treat the monsoon as an act of fate, something to be resigned to rather than managed.

This mindset needs to change. We need to respond logically rather than viscerally.

Everyone should have a clear plan in place for how to respond in the event of flooding, being cut off or experiencing general disruptions to daily life.

Preparation is not just about keeping your belongings safe; it’s also about knowing evacuation routes, where to go for shelter, having emergency contacts handy and looking out for your neighbours, especially those who are elderly and those in isolated areas.

We also need to take weather reports more seriously – it’s a tradition to joke about how weather stations can’t predict accurately, but that hasn’t been the case for a while now, what with improvements in technology.

So, if MetMalaysia says there’s going to be rain for three days in the low-lying area where you live, please be prepared.

While it might be best not to depend too much on being rescued, the authorities are prepared, at least.

The National Disaster Management Agency and the Fire and Rescue Department have reportedly been collaborating to develop their response strategies. They have initiated dry runs and are assessing the effectiveness of their systems.

Coordination among the agencies must be thoroughly reviewed and refined to ensure the most effective response will be deployed.

MetMalaysia expects heavier rainfall than usual – no doubt due in part to climate change – which increases the likelihood of floods and landslides, particularly along the east coast and in parts of Sabah and Sarawak.

We have been warned. The rain will come, as it always does, year after year.

So let’s make sure we’ve got all our ducks in a row so we will be safe as we wait for the sun to return.