Concluding Report forJICA Region-Focused Training Course on Flood Hazard Mapping
JFY 2005

Title

Roadmap Towards Effective Flood Hazard Mapping in Malaysia

November 2005

Prepared byMiklin Ationg
Engineer
Water Resources Management Section
Department of Irrigation and Drainage
State of Sabah, Malaysia

11. Introduction
The regional-focused training course on Flood Hazard Mapping was conducted on 7 November
until 2 December 2005 by Public Works Research Institute (PWRI) of Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure and Transport, Japan together with the Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA). A total of 16 participants from 8 countries (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR,Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) attended the course.
During the course, lectures related to flood were given not only by experts throughout Japan but
also from other countries, China and Mekong River Commission. In those lectures, topics related
to flood hazard map were discussed comprising history and principal of flood hazard mapping inJapan, numerical simulation to obtain anticipated inundation area, evacuations procedures as well
as experiences in producing flood hazard maps throughout Japan. Beside lectures, 3 days ofspecial field work on ‘Town Watching’ was conducted in Mie Prefecture covering Tsu City, Ise
City , Miya River and Shonai River with participation from various offices and community groupwithin the area.

2. Role of Flood Hazard Map to mitigate flood damages in Sabah, Malaysia
This chapter basically will discuss on the flood status in Malaysia, the present countermeasures
for mitigating damages caused by flood and the importance of flood hazard map in the context ofexisting policy throughout Malaysia.

2.1 The flood status in Malaysia
Flooding is a regular occurrence in Sabah and affects virtually very district and municipality
to some extent. The severity of flooding varies from year to year, and also from river basin toriver basin. Low lying area, floodplains and developed river basin throughout Malaysia experienced
flood to a various extent of seriousness in terms of depth, inundated area, duration and damages.

Floods in urban areas, particularly where there is little or no warning, have the potential tocause for more damage than main stream flooding where warning times are greater. Even theoverflow of local street drainage, which may do no more than disrupt traffic for an hour or so,
has a cost penalty attached. Summary of flood condition in Malaysia as at year 2000 is as in Table
1.
Table 1: Summary of Flood Condition in Malaysia

Total Area (km2)
Flood Affected Area (km2)% of Flood Affected Area
Total Population (nos)Population living in Flood Affected
Areas (nos.)% of Population Living in Flood
Affected Area
Annual Average Damage (RMmillion)
AAD per sq. km. of Flood AffectedArea (RM)
Source :PeninsularMalaysia

SabahSarawak

Malaysia

131,574
15,62011.9%
17,670,100
3,688,600

73,712
3,285
4.5%
2,519,900
652,175

124,449
10,8958.8%
2,012,600
478,490329,735
29,8009%22,202,600
4,819,265

21%

26%

24%

22%

616.5

141.0

157.5

915

39,47042,92014,46030,700

Final Report on Updating of Condition of Flooding in Malaysia, October 2003 byDepartment of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia

2Lost of life, damages to properties and activities disruption were among types of damages due
to flood experienced. Property damages caused by flood shown in Table 1 may include thedamages of houses, infrastructures, vehicle, machines, crops etc. In specific on lost of humanlife, specific flood events and damages focusing on lost of human life summarized in Table 2.
Table 2: Specific flood events and damages caused by flood.
EventAreaCauses

27 December
1996

Keningau

Heavy Rainfall
by Tropical
Storm "Greg"•••

Heavy rainfall•••

7 July 2005

Telipok

Damages•
6 & 7 January
1999

Moyog

Heavy and long •duration of•rainfall (La Nina •phen.)•170 killed
100 missing
3000people
homeless
300 homes damage3 killed2793 families
affected
School, commercial
building inundated
3 killed
1,106 evacuated
5 Villages inundated
23 schools closed

For flood in Telipok and Moyog, the accidents where the 3 are killed actually
happened while they are trying to reach their home during the flood, thinking that theflood is not so risky. The details on how the accident happened summarized as thefollowing.
Telipok Flood, 7th July 2005.
1. “The first body found was that of Tay Fui Teck, 50, at 6.30am at the hanging
bridge at Kampung Masjid. He was believe to have been washed away by floodwaters
while trying to get home.”
2. “A 13-year-old Timorese, Aji Minda Jumat @ Mimi, decided to walk home with 5friends about a mile away. "They decided to form a chain by holding each other's
hands. However, the girl slipped and was washed away by the floodwaters.”
3. “Golbertus Tomas, a cooking gas seller, is believed to have also taken the chance towalk home with his younger brother but was washed away by the floodwaters.”
Moyog Flood , 6th January 1999
1. Sikan Serianti, 55 was killed when trying to save his car in Kampung Kibatu,Penampang.
2. A body of Timorese man, believed to be in his 40s, was found on the roadside in
Jalan Kampung Kolopis, Penampang.

33. Awangku Mohamad Hafiz Awang Bongsu, 2 years old, died after he fell into adrain near his home.

2.2 Present countermeasures to mitigate flood damages
The government of Malaysia through its agencies have implemented numerous flood
mitigation projects as countermeasures to flood damages which consist of structural measuresand non-structural measures.
For structural measures, projects that have impacts on flood can be divided into 3 types asfollow:•••

Flood mitigation and drainage projects by Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID)
Flood mitigation and drainage projects by local authorities
Water Resources Projects

Land use planning for water resources such as development of Floodplain Management Plan,Conservation of wetlands, Flood forecasting and Flood warning system and public awarenesson flood and its consequences are part of activities carried out as non-structural measures.

2.3 Importance of flood hazard map in Sabah, Malaysia
As structural measures that being implemented by the government cannot fully solve theflooding problem, human life and properties will still be exposed to flood risk. Human life
lost that happened in the 3 flood events shown in Table 2 should have been avoided by humanthemselves. The absent of structured information on how to behave during the flood among
the communities as one of the important factor to be considered. Flood hazard mapping as
being used and practiced in Japan eventually can be adopted to overcome the issue.
Nevertheless adoption of Flood Hazard Mapping will be more effective if implemented
alongside with existing mechanism of flood management and damage prevention in Sabahsuch as the provision for Floodplain Management in the state water resources management
context.
Sabah, as one of states in Malaysia, has it own jurisdiction on its’ natural resources comprises
the land, water and forest. With that, Sabah enacted its Water Resources Enactment 1998 forbetter management of it water resources but at the same time do provide provision for
management of Floodplain Management Area. Under the enactment, declaration of such area
need to be accompanied by a Floodplain Management Plan whereby the plan has to consist
the following:i. Description of the flood characteristic of the area and summary of technicalinvestigations of flood behaviour;
ii. An evaluation of the economic, social and environmental consequences of flooding;iii. Measures for minimising the impact of flooding;
It is recognised that, Flood hazard mapping objective which is to reduce or prevent lost of
human life is coincide with one of the component of the floodplain management plan,measures for minimising the impact of flooding. With this scenario, it is felt that thedevelopment of flood hazard map for an area should be a complement to floodplain
management plan for that area. By doing this, all existing institution established under theneeds for water resources management can also be used for the development of flood hazard
map for the area.

4

Figure 1: Schematic presentation on how Flood Hazard Map can be incorporated into existingmechanism

Water Resources Enactment(Water Resources Management)

PROVISION FOR FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENTFLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT PLAN
Flood Characteristic

Measures to minimise
damages

Impact Evaluation

Structural Measures

FLOOD HAZARD MAP

Other non-structural

Figure 1: Flood Hazard Map as measures in Floodplain Management Plan

3. The allocation of roles in publishing Flood Hazard Map in Malaysia
This chapter will basically introduce relevant government agencies in Sabah with their
existing role which needed in the process of producing flood hazard map. In view that, theresponsibility on water resources management in Sabah was put under the purview of theDepartment of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), the department should coordinate thedevelopment of flood hazard map in State level as it do to the management of floodplain area.
Implementation in 1 district level, existing mechanism on water resources management indistrict level should be used. In water resources management in district level, the highestestablished committee is the District Catchment Management Committee (DCMC). This
committee is headed by the District Officer.
The DCMC in the district level was assisted in terms of technical matter by a District
Technical task Force which is headed by DID district. The detailed on allocations of role issummarized in Table 3 and 4.

3.1 Organisations that will be responsible in producing a inundation map
Table 3: Organisations role in producing inundation mapNo1Organisations• Dept. of Irrigation and Drainage

1

Task
Coordination ofprocess
Hydrological data

• Dept. of Irrigation and Drainage (S)• Dept. of Meteorological Services (N)• Dept. of Agricultural (S)Existing RoleHead of District TechnicalTaskforce
Hydrological data collection
Hydrological data collection
Hydrological data collection

2

Topographic data

• Dept. of Survey and Mapping (N)• Dept. of Land and Survey (S)Topographic map (1:50,000)
Height level in certain area

1

District is a smaller administration unit where a state in Malaysia being divided. Administration in the districtis headed by a District Officer.
53

Landuse map• Dept. of Survey and Mapping (N)• Dept. of Agriculture (S)• Dept. of Forestry (S)4

Numerical Simulation• Dept. of Irrigation and Drainage (S)Aerial photo/Satellite Image
Agricultural area map
Forest Area Map

3.2 Organisations that will be responsible in producing/making and disseminate
flood hazard map.
Table 4: Organisations role in making and dissemination of Flood Hazard Map
No1

Task
Coordination ofProcess

Organisations• District Office

Existing RoleHead of District Catchment
Management Committee

2

Maps integration• Department of Irrigation and Drainage

Head of District TechnicalTaskforce

3

Evacuation process
and Centre
Dissemination ofmaps• Dept. of Social Services (S)Providing relief in any disaster• District officeSecretariat for Head of Village andResidential Committee

4* Dissemination process on the ground will be varied from district to district depends on establishment ofcommunity organisations.

In actual implement of the map for evacuation during disaster, the District Office with the highest
administration role in district level cum chairman of district disaster committee can enforce anyrecommendation or order for evacuation.

4. Action Plan
This chapter will discuss on the target area where development of flood hazard map proposed tobe carried out focusing on why the area are chosen, availability of needed information andresources, 5 years action plan as well as the problems anticipated in making the flood hazard map.
4.1 Target Area
There are 2 proposed areas for the development of Flood Hazard Maps in Sabah. The
proposed areas are Telipok River Floodplain and Moyog River Floodplain. Both area isshown in the map in the next page.

6Map 1: Flooded areas in Sabah, Malaysia

Telipok River
Floodplain

Moyog River
Floodplain

Source :I.

Final Report on Updating of Condition of Flooding in Malaysia, October 2003 byDepartment of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia

Telipok River Floodplain
As stated in the country report, this area has experienced flooding and the latest and view
as one of the serious events is on July 17, 2005. During the flood, the highest daily

rainfall recorded was 239.5mm, 195mm and 180.5mm at 3 stations in theproximity of the area. One of the stations recorded the highest rainfall intensity for 1hour, 2 hours and 3 hours, which Annually Recurrent Interval (ARI) was deduced to be
41 years, 21 years and 16 years respectively. Damages caused by the mention flood wereserious as being summarized in Table 2.

Related Newspaper cutting an d photo7II. Moyog River Floodplain
Moyog River Floodplain has also experienced flood and one of the serious flood
occurred in January 1999 which caused by a heavy rainfall in that area due to the La Nina
phenomena. Damages caused by this flood are as summarized in Table 2. Evacuation ofcommunities within the area are due late which believes caused by situation whereby noserious flood occurred for quite a long time.

Photo 2: Evacuation by boat was used due to the late evacuation of the community

4.2 Data and resources availability
Data and resources availability are summarized as follows:
Data/Resources
Hydrological data
Topographic data

Telipok River Floodplain
3 rainfall station and 1 flowstation• Topo map 1:50,000• Some ground survey data
used for development
project. (Road,development in floodplain)

Aerial photo/Satelliteimage•None

Budgets••

None
Government proposed fora blueprint/management
plan.

Numerical model•

No in house experiencestaff8Moyog River Floodplain
2 rainfall station and 1 flowstations• Topo map 1:50,000• Some ground survey data
used for development
project. (Road,development in floodplain)• Ground survey are possible
to be carried out under
FMP study budget• None• Possible to be bought
under FMP study budget.
• Proposed for Floodplain
Management Plan Study toState Finance Ministry.
•No in house experiencestaff

4.3 Action plan within 5 years
Foreseeing that Floodplain Management Plan study for one of the proposed area will possibly
be carried out, Flood Hazard Map for any of the area will at the same time be made.
Opportunities to effectively put in and come up with Flood Hazard Map in the study will be agood ground for testing knowledge and experiences gain in this course. It is also necessary toforesee on how flood hazard map can be developed for other river floodplain. Summary ofgeneral action plan within 5 years ahead as follow:
Year2006

Proposed Action Plan••••Expected Output

Coordination for FHM at National Level
Awareness of the needs for FHM
Coordination for the implementation of study ineither area
Management of study (Floodplain Management
Plan development with FHM incorporated)•••

Networks at nationallevel established.
FMP Study started
Awareness tostakeholders on
importance of FHM

2007

•
•

Management of study (cont’)
Establishment for possibilities to carry out
Floodplain Management Plan Study in house forsustainability and expedite coverage.

• FMP developed anddisseminate with FHM
incorporated• FMP study in other area
started2008•

Coordinate FMP development for 1 other possiblearea•

Betterment of FMP2009•

Coordinate FMP development for 1 other possiblearea (cont’)•

FMP with in house
resources developed2010•

FMP review•Reviewed FMP

4.4 Problems
Problems that might be faced in the process of developing Flood Hazard Map in Sabah can bedivided into aspects as follow:i.

Insufficient data (hydrological and topographic)
It is recognised that numerical simulation at best possible is one of the most importantpart of flood hazard mapping. In Sabah, installation of gauging station to capturehydrological information have yet covered most part of the state and lack of data isanticipated to be one of the constraint. Topographic data of flooded area will be
another constraint in coming up with anticipated inundation area for particular area.
Alternatively, any kind of possible statistic method in acquiring hydrological data for
un-gauge river basin as well as any available topographic information will be utilised
as best as it can.

ii.

Community awareness level
In view of the impact of introducing flood hazard map as non-structural measure in
reducing and preventing lost of human life, it is expected that certain level ofcommunity will have different perception of the map. There might be group ofcommunity looking it as threat rather than information for preparedness and any otherperception related to properties value or so.
Effective awareness rising and community consultation in the initial stage of the map
development will be helpful to overcome this problem. Working with community
based non-government organisation to carry out this is also a possibility.

95. Suggestions for making this training course more meaningfuli.

Exercise session such as the rainfall-runoff analysis should be given more time as it isone of the important technical knowledge necessary for production of inundation area
map.

ii. Ex-participants that have done something or manage to come up with flood hazard
mapping in his/her country if possible invited to give lecture and share hisexperiences on how he gone through the actual process in the next course.
6. Concluding remark
As mentioned earlier, Flood Hazard Mapping will be definitely beneficial to the management andreductions of damages caused by flood in Malaysia generally and Sabah particularly. Since floodhazard mapping has yet being carried out in any part of Sabah, this training course has provide theopportunities for government of Malaysia to enhance its flood hazard map and for Sabah to startin certain level to produce flood hazard map.
Consideration, support and willingness of Japanese Government Agencies especially Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Public Works Research Institute (PWRI) and all theparticipating country in relation to the training course are highly appreciated.

10