Malaysia will experience more frequent El Nino phenomena with biennial occurrence expected in the next few years due to worsening global warming.
According to University Malaysia Pahang (UMP) Civil Engineering and Natural Resources Faculty, senior lecturer, Nurul Nadrah Aqilah Tukimat the situation arises following drastic temperature increase in the world, partly due to increased carbon dioxide levels in the air.
"If we look at 1980 to 1988, this phenomenon occurred once in four years. However from 1998 to 2015 the situation can be said to occur as frequent as triennially, regardless in weak, moderate or strong forms.
"For example in 2012, the phenomena had already existed but Malaysia was not affected and in 2014 we experienced a weak El Nino and it grew stronger this year causing us to experience the extreme hot weather.
"Based on the pattern, we are about to experience the El Nino phenomenon once in two years," she told Bernama recently.
Nurul Nadrah Aqilah said currently El Nino which means 'the boy' was closely linked to global warming brought about by various factors including development and increasing carbon dioxide emissions which have created a greenhouse effect.
"If we notice the global temperature in December last year, for the first time in 120 years it recorded a drastic one degree Celsius increase compared to 0.2 to 0.6 degrees Celsius previously.
"In fact last February, the Global Average Temperature (GAT) issued by a meteorological agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) based in America also recorded an increase in global temperatures of +1.2 degrees Celsius.
"As a result, the northeast monsoon which should bring heavy rainfall to this country last December and January was hampered by the El Nino," she said.
In addition, she said, the GAT report conducted by NOAA also found that normal temperatures for Malaysia at the end of the 21st century would reach between 35 to 38 degrees Celsius, equivalent to the current temperature experienced during the El Nino.
Normally, she said, the El Nino phenomenon occurred once in four to seven years and its occurrence was due to the warm sea currents replacing the cold ocean currents off the west coast of Peru, South America.
Nurul Nadrah Aqilah said the urban population felt the brunt of the El Nino's heat because winds were hindered by buildings built haphazardly and heat could not be absorbed due to the absence of trees and green pastures.
"Perhaps many are wondering why Malaysia has to bear with the extreme hot weather when the country that is situated near the equator, should be enjoying warm and wet weather throughout the year.
"Generally the Asean region is a low pressure area compared to the United States. However due to the El Nino, the situation has reversed resulting in cold winds from Papua New Guinea moving to America and the hot winds moving to the Asean region, thus giving us the hot weather.
"This situation has resulted in less rainfall and water shortage as experienced in the northern states," she said.
On the water supply problem, she proposed that the relevant parties take steps to improve on the water management system, including constructing secondary dams to retain excess water during the rainy season.
She said usually, excess water which could not be accommodated by dams during continuous heavy rains were released into the rivers while it should be stored to meet the needs during the dry season.
At the same time, she added, the government should consider the use of 'evaloc' which is widely used in India to reduce the high rate of evaporation at dams around the country.
Bernama
Tue May 03 2016
A March 2016 file photo of a very dry Timah Tasoh Dam. Nurul Nadrah Aqilah says the government should look into constructing secondary dams to retain excess water during the rainy season. - BERNAMApic
Ops Lebih Muatan: JPJ keluar 126 notis saman, 13 kenderaan barangan dikenakan tindakan
Sebanyak 126 notis saman dikeluarkan JPJ Pulau Pinang terhadap pemandu kenderaan barangan menerusi Ops Khas Lebih Muatan di sekitar negeri ini.
AWANI Ringkas: Bas terbalik di Lebuh Raya Karak
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Lelaki mengaku rogol, cabul anak kandung
Dia didakwa melakukan perbuatan itu di sebuah rumah di Kampung Seri Rahmat, Batu Gajah pada jam 10 hingga 12 malam, Februari lalu.
Piala Uber: Pearly ambil sudut positif jika tidak ke Chengdu
Pearly Tan tidak berasa kecil hati sekiranya beliau dan pasangan M. Thinaah, tidak disenaraikan ke skuad Piala Uber 2024 di Chengdu, China.
Bubur Lambuk Ayam Belanda hidangan istimewa di Kampung Parit Sikom
Istimewa Ramadan 2024, penduduk kampung Parit Sikom, Pontian, Johor menikmati hidangan istimewa, Bubur Lambuk Ayam Belanda, yang diedarkan sebanyak 500 pek .
Penguasaan asas teknologi AI sangat penting untuk pelajar
Penguasaan terhadap asas AI adalah perlu dan penting seiring dengan penguasaan 3M (menulis, mengira dan membaca).
Pasaran saham ST1 positif, dijangka berterusan sehingga H2
Pasaran FBM KLCI mencatat prestasi baik dengan pulangan sekitar 5.7%. Imran Yassin Md Yusof, Ketua MIDF Research, menjangkakan sentimen positif akan berterusan sehingga separuh kedua tahun ini. Sektor cemerlang termasuk utiliti, hartanah, dan pembinaan.
Peningkatan IHPR beri petanda positif kepada perdagangan
Menurut Pengarah Program MBA, Putra Business School (PBS), Prof Madya Dr. Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff, prestasi Indeks Harga Pengeluar (IHPR) Pengeluaran Tempatan Malaysia yang meningkat pada Februari 2024 menyifatkan pertumbuhan perdagangan berada di tahap yang baik.
Jangan ambil tindakan sendiri, Malaysia ada undang-undang - KPN
Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Razarudin Husain memberi amaran dan peringatan keras kepada orang ramai untuk tidak mengambil tindakan sendiri.
SolaRIS memberdaya permintaan solar, tingkat peluang kerja - Pakar
Permohonan boleh dibuat bermula 1 April sehingga 31 Disember 2024 dan permohonan NEM Rakyat yang telah diperolehi perlu beroperasi selewat-lewatnya 31 Mac 2025, atau sehingga kesemua kuota rebat SolaRIS habis diagihkan, yang mana terdahulu.
El Nino: Al-Sultan Abdullah tinjau Sungai Pahang, titah adakan solat hajat
Sultan Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Riayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah berkenan meninjau Sungai Pahang yang dilaporkan surut akibat fenomena El Nino.
Kawasan di Tampin, Jempol rekod tanpa hujan 13 hari berturut-turut
Beberapa kawasan di Tampin dan Jempol merekodkan ketiadaan hujan hingga 13 hari berturut-turut akibat fenomena El Nino kali ini.
El Nino beri cabaran besar kepada pengeluaran keselamatan makanan di Sabah
Fenomena El Nino, memberi cabaran besar kepada pengeluaran keselamatan makanan di Sabah.
Lapan kawasan catat suhu panas tahap berjaga-jaga di Utara Semenanjung
Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia (MetMalaysia) mengeluarkan amaran cuaca panas tahap berjaga-jaga di lapan kawasan utara Semenanjung Malaysia.
Tangguh aktiviti luar bilik darjah jika El Nino bertambah buruk - Wong
Kah Woh berkata pihaknya tidak mahu sebarang perkara di luar jangkauan berlaku terutama membabitkan kesihatan para pelajar.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
APM terima peningkatan panggilan berkaitan ular sepanjang El Nino
Jumlah kes membabitkan tangkapan replitia itu dijangka meningkat susulan amaran gelombang haba tahap dua di Pokok Sena.
Industri padi perlu bersedia hadapi cuaca lebih panas tahun hadapan
Industri tanaman padi negara perlu bersedia untuk menghadapi kemungkinan cuaca lebih panas tahun hadapan, kata Menteri Pertanian dan Keterjaminan Makanan Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
Air Empangan Timah Tasoh mampu bertahan untuk 90 hari
Bacaan paras air ETT berada pada paras 28.57 meter atau 25.5 juta liter padu di mana baki keseluruhan takungan air adalah sekitar 84 peratus.
Malaysia alami cuaca panas, kering pada penghujung Monsun Timur Laut
Negara dijangka mengalami cuaca lebih panas dan kering berbanding kebiasaan susulan fasa akhir Monsun Timur Laut.