SHAH ALAM, Oct 8 - Selangor’s raw water reserves are enough to last up to nine months in the event of the Super El Nino phenomenon, which brings a prolonged hot and dry spell, said Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari.
“Thank God, I monitored last month, and we can still last a minimum of three months, maximum nine months, meaning that for six months we are very safe.
“It is expected that by mid-October there will be a monsoon transition, so the rainy season will start,” he said when met after officiating Jelajah Sejahtera Madani-Skim Insurans Kesejahteraan Rakyat (SIKR) 3.0 here today.
However, Amirudin called for caution in the February-April period next year as the country is set to experience a hot, dry spell that could affect Selangor’s raw water reserves.
“This period is a time that needs more observation and study. Super El Nino actually starts around July to August, that’s when the hot season is supposed to be at its peak, but thank God, it was still raining then… and during the monsoon transition later there will be (more) rain.
“That’s why I think our raw water reserves are sufficient and enough for Selangoreans,” he explained.
Yesterday, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said El Nino is expected to last until mid-2027 and could reach the “super” status between this month and January.
He warned the phenomenon would bring a hot, dry spell that could give rise to forest fires and open burning, which might cause more haze.
Arthur said Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) analyses showed that the northeast monsoon, which will occur during the El Nino phenomenon, could bring lower rainfall and hotter, drier weather.
