PETALING JAYA: With the water rationing not ending any time soon, a bigger threat is looming with the arrival of the El-Nino, a global phenomenon disrupting the weather pattern and causing a dry spell which can last up to 18 months.
The Meteorological Department has predicted that the El-Nino is likely to occur by end of the year although the impact could be felt much earlier.
The department’s corporate affairs head Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said the World Meteorological Organisation’s (WMO) report on April 15 stated that the strength of the El-Nino could not be determined now.
“El-Nino is a phenomenon that affects the whole globe,” said Mohd Hisham told FMT via e-mail.
The report said the El-Nino effect would possibly be felt as early as July.
El Niño, which means The Little Boy or Christ Child in Spanish was originally recognised by fishermen, off the coast of South America, in the 1600s, with the appearance of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean.
The name was chosen based on the time of year (around December) during which the Pacific Ocean in the south becomes warmer.
El Niño refers to the periodic warming of the ocean thus increasing the surface temperature across the central and east-central Equator.
Typically, El Niño can last between nine and 18 months and usually begins to develop in the early part of the year, peaking at the end of the year.
El-Nino – Malaysia’s experience
When El-Nino hit Malaysia in 2010, the department recorded no rain from January to end of May.
On March 18, 2010, Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) reported that seven dams in Selangor dried up due to the phenomenon.
Last month, it was reported in an English daily that the El Nino is shaping up as the biggest risk for palm oil output this year.
A strong El-Nino would cut palm oil output in Malaysia and Indonesia by as much as 30%.
If the El-Nino hits, Malaysians must be prepared for a continuous round of water rationing, or even water emergency.
Souce: FMT
No comments:
Post a Comment