Sabah likely to face reduced rainfall from Jan - March next year - Armizan

KOTA KINABALU - Sabah has been urged to prepare and take the appropriate measures to face a reduction in rainfall which is expected to occur between January and March next year.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the state will likely face a reduction in monthly rainfall of up to 20 per cent during the Northeast Monsoon period although there will still be rain and thunderstorms in some areas of the state.

Armizan said the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) informed the matter when presenting the official weather forecast report for the monsoon period at the Central Disaster Management Committee Meeting, last Oct 17.

"It is predicted that the 2023/2024 monsoon season will start this November and continue until March 2024. As with the previous monsoon season, most of the state is expected to face more humid weather conditions and the risk of floods during this period.

"However, we foresee that Sabah will experience a somewhat different situation this monsoon with a decrease in rainfall. It is expected that the amount of monthly rainfall (mm) for Sabah will be less than 20 per cent below the average collection period," he told reporters after officiating at the Rahmah Mobile Sales Programme in Kampung Warisan, Darau, here today.

Armizan, who is also the Member of Parliament for Papar, said that the Sabah government needs to be prepared to ensure that residents will still get their water supply because it is feared that water supply may be disrupted when there is less reainfall.

"Water suppy disruption which is a usual occurrence in Sabah will be more serious because 20 per cent is a large amount. The reduced rainfall is feared to affect the level of raw water supply in dams and rivers that are sources of water to the treatment plants," he explained.

As such, Armizan recommended that the state government get a detailed report from MetMMalaysia to identify the locations that are likely to experience reduced rainfall so that an action could be drawn up to overcome the issue in the areas involved.

In the meantime, Armizan also reminded the related agencies to ensure that their response teams and assets are fully prepared to face the floods even though Sabah is forecast to experience less rain throughout the monsoon season. - BERNAMA