The National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) has announced a new early flood warning system using SMS messages. Through collaboration with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS), the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET), the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), and several local telcos, the initiative aims to warn citizens early on in areas predicted to experience flooding so they can take the necessary safety precautions.
The carriers involved in NADMA’s initiative include CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile, TM, Time, DNB, XOX, Tune Talk, redONE, BeONE, and Valyou. These companies have all agreed to shoulder the costs of these warning SMS messages as part of their corporate social responsibility, meaning the authorities will not have to pay to send out warnings.
How it works is that the telcos will get an early notice from the National Disaster Command Center (NDCC), which operates 24 hours a day. SMS messages and a flash broadcast will then be targeted towards citizens living in areas that will soon be flooded.
Ahead of the monsoon season in the East Coast, the operators have agreed to improve the info in the early flood warning messages, which will include the affected areas, date, and times that the flooding is expected to occur. As of this year, the JPS has identified 4,619 hotspot locations across the country that are prone to flooding. To get up-to-date info during a disaster, you can head over to NADMA’s portal.
(Source: NADMA)
