Floods caused RM6.1 bil overall losses in 2021: DoSM

KUALA LUMPUR – Climate change has caused the pattern of natural disasters to change and erratic flooding late last year and early this year, which cost the country overall losses of RM6.1 billion, said Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin.

In a statement today on the Statistics Department’s (DoSM) Compendium of Environment Statistics 2022, he said the loss was equivalent to 0.40% of the national gross domestic product at nominal price.

He said the compendium also highlighted that the reopening of economic activities through the easing of the movement control order and the implementation of the National Recovery Plan had various effects on the environment last year, such as the improvement of overall air quality in Malaysia.

“The overall air pollution index (API) recorded ‘good’ and ‘moderate’ air quality status for 2021. API readings showed a decrease in the level of air pollutants, especially in major cities across the country due to lower air pollutant emissions from motor vehicles’ smoke, industrial chimney emissions, and open burning activities,” he said in the statement.

Furthermore, he said the increase in Covid-19 cases also increased the use of personal protective equipment and Covid-19 test equipment as well as the opening of new health facilities and quarantine and vaccination centres – which had a direct impact on the management of clinical waste.

“The quantity of clinical waste grew 43.9% in 2021 to 57.4 thousand metric tonnes as compared to 39.9 thousand metric tonnes in 2020,

Three states recorded the highest amount of clinical waste, namely Selangor with 13,000 tonnes, Sarawak (8.3 thousand tonnes), and Kuala Lumpur (5.9 thousand tonnes), he added.

The compendium also highlighted that the rate of road accident cases in Malaysia recorded a decrease of 11.5%, a drop of 47,951 cases as compared to 2020 while the number of deaths due to road accidents also decreased by 95 deaths to 4,539 deaths in 2021 as compared to 4,634 deaths the previous year.

Uzir also said DoSM wass currently conducting the Household Income, Expenditure and Basic Amenities Survey 2022 which will end on December 31.

“DoSM greatly appreciates the cooperation given by selected respondents by sharing their information with DoSM to make the survey a success,” he said. – Bernama, November 24, 2022