PUTRAJAYA: Sponge cities are amongst the measures recognized to resolve flood points and cut back the results of such disasters on the individuals.
The growth of sponge cities like the ones in China is one other measure that would assist mitigate floods, the nationwide catastrophe administration committee assembly heard.
A sponge metropolis is a brand new city development mannequin for flood administration, strengthening ecological infrastructure and drainage programs not solely to alleviate flooding but additionally to deal with water useful resource shortages.
The assembly, chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, heard proposals for SMART tunnels to be inbuilt extremely populated areas equivalent to Shah Alam as one in all the flood mitigation measures.
Ismail Sabri stated the assembly heard an inventory of proposals submitted by the Environment and Water Ministry, together with development of dams like in the Netherlands, with cities rising round it.
“All these proposals are comprehensive solutions to the flood problem and involve not only allocations in the billions of ringgit but also a long time before they can materialise.
“Therefore, the meeting agreed for the government to focus on high-risk areas and that priority be given to implement these plans,” he stated in a press release.
Ismail Sabri added that the committee had proposed for ministries and companies to put aside 5% of its working expenditure for catastrophe administration.
The on-line assembly was attended by Mentris Besar and Chief Ministers, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, Chief of Armed Forces Jen Tan Sri Affendi Buang and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.
The committee additionally heard a number of short- and long-term proposals to handle floods, together with the establishing of fully-equipped everlasting flood evacuation centres and to improve, deepen and widen most important rivers.
Other measures proposed are to enhance the flood siren and warning system at Drainage and Irrigation Department centres in addition to monitoring through closed circuit tv.
A flood forecast and warning system based mostly on synthetic intelligence will likely be developed, some 100 climate statement stations will likely be upgraded and barrages constructed to manage rising water ranges.
“I have also directed authorities to ensure that urban planning must take into consideration flood risks.
“Issues related to floods must be completely resolved. The government does not want the people’s well-being to be affected because of flooding,” stated the Prime Minister.
He added that the “whole of society” strategy should be translated into insurance policies and that civil societies ought to be roped in to assist in such conditions.
“We will also strengthen the local community, where community leaders will be tasked as first responders in a disaster,” Ismail Sabri stated.
The latest floods had brought about an estimated RM6.1bil in losses as a result of harm to public property and infrastructure, homes, automobiles, the manufacturing sector, enterprise premises and the agriculture sector.
