AS the aftermath of the catastrophic flood in Derna, Libya, unfolds, it is imperative for our local authorities to take note so that they can take measures to prevent such a tragedy from occurring in Malaysia.
Our country is relatively unaffected by other natural disasters such as typhoons, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and forest fires. But we are affected by flooding, which has become more frequent due to rampant clearing of land for development and extreme weather conditions resulting from climate change.
