KUALA LUMPUR – Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has instructed the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) to review its standard operating procedures (SOPs) for preparing weather forecasts.
In a statement, Nik Nazmi said that the ministry’s order was issued following a news report where MetMalaysia reportedly said that the department did not issue a weather warning as an earlier warning issued five days earlier was still in effect.
“Therefore, I have instructed MetMalaysia to review its SOPs on the preparation and dissemination of weather information, advice, and warnings so that the forecasts can be issued more frequently when the weather is expected to become extreme and severe.
“MetMalaysia has also been directed to improve its communication aspects in disseminating weather information and warnings more effectively.
“This is to ensure that the public is more aware of the current weather conditions and, at the same time, can avoid any unwanted incidents,” said the minister.
On September 21, Scoop reported no warnings were issued for thunderstorms on September 18 even though the northern state was hit with heavy rain and strong winds, accompanied by high waves flooding its shores. Several stalls were affected as seawater inundated the premises.
Social media posts further showed the worsening weather with numerous reports of tree uprooting and viral incidents of restaurants’ roofs being blown off by strong winds, as well as the floor of an eatery collapsing. One tree uprooting incident caused the death of two Chinese tourists in George Town.
However, checks on MetMalaysia’s Facebook page on that day found no hourly thunderstorm warnings issued for Penang.
In a written reply to Scoop, MetMalaysia director-general Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip Mohd Hisham said this was because a continuous rainfall warning had already been issued five days before.
“Thunderstorm warnings were not issued for Perlis, Kedah, Penang and northern Perak (on Wednesday, September 18) as a ‘Yellow Level’ (alert) continuous rainfall warning issued on September 13 was still in effect until September 19.
“According to the department’s standard operating procedures (SOP), thunderstorm warnings will not be issued if earlier warning(s) are still in effect unless there are changes,” he said.
Hisham also added that the department is open to improving its entire weather forecasting methods and infrastructure in the future to better serve the public. – September 26, 2024