Global Environmental Centre (GEC) river care programme manager K Kalithasan said this is necessary to mitigate the impact of floods in the country.

Kalithasan said that apart from being aware of flood evacuation routes, people must also familiarise themselves with them.

Flood drills, he said, needed to be made compulsory for the community and at school, similar to fire drills.

“The government must also get the people involved in driving such efforts. We have to do what it takes to minimise the frequency and severity of the flood disaster,” Kalithasan told FMT.

He also urged the government to look into nature-based solutions that emphasise flood management by strengthening green infrastructure, instead of purely relying on drainage systems.

Kalithasan also agreed with the recommendation by Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) to construct high embankments along Malaysia’s coastline.

Following a meeting earlier this month with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim agreed to implement a decades-old mitigation project by Jica.

Kalithasan’s comments come in the wake of the recent floods which struck several states, including Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang, and left seven dead and over 100,000 victims displaced.

Engineering consultant Adnan Nor said efforts to strengthen the structural designs of susceptible houses in flood-prone areas should be given priority.

He said this could include the construction of a safe house next to the main house to provide additional structural support in the event of floods.

Adnan, with 40 years of experience in engineering under his belt, said another solution is to build a floating house, with large barrels serving as flotation devices.

Still, he said, it was always better to be aware of the risk of our surroundings and take action to mitigate any damage or loss caused by floods.

“We can’t prevent flooding completely, but we need to plan for a rainy day,” he added.