PETALING JAYA, Nov 27 — Selangor, Perak, and parts of Pahang are facing or will face the effects of tropical storm Senyar from tonight to Sunday (November 30), said the Meteorological Department’s (MetMalaysia) director-general Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip.
Maximum wind speeds have reached 50kph, with more than 200mm of rain expected over 24 hours.
He said the phenomenon is the first time a tropical storm has formed over the Malacca Strait.
“We are still monitoring. We do not have the real figure for the rains that will come, but in Aceh (in Indonesia), they have received more than 600mm of rain over 36 hours.
“During heavy rain that caused flooding in Selangor two days ago, we recorded rainfall of between 120mm and 150mm, so we are expecting worse floods in the Klang Valley this time,” Hisham said during an emergency press conference today.
Tropical storm Senyar is now approaching the west coast of the Peninsula and is expected to move towards the East Coast before dissipating in the South China Sea this Sunday.
He added that the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) has been informed of the situation and is on high alert.
“Logically, the flooding will be more severe. In addition, strong winds and landslides may occur. However, the storm is expected to move towards the East Coast by passing through Selangor, Perak, and Pahang,” Hisham said.
Tropical storm Senyar's formation in the Straits of Melaka is influenced by the La Nina phenomenon colliding with a low-pressure weather system in the northern Peninsula, as well as monsoon surges from China.
He described the unusual phenomenon as remarkable because it had never happened before and had attracted the attention of researchers and meteorologists from across the world.
“Malaysia has experienced tropical storms twice — Greg in Sabah on December 26, 1996, and Vamei on December 26, 2001, in the southern Peninsula.
“This is the third and the most remarkable because it has occurred in the Straits of Melaka, something that has never happened before,” Hisham said.
He advised the public to be prepared for an episode of extraordinary rainfall, while MetMalaysia will update weather warnings every three hours via its website and official social media channels.
