Malaysians on the east coast and in flood-prone parts of the peninsula might want to start their monsoon preparations a little earlier than usual this year. While the Northeast Monsoon typically settles in during early November, forecasts suggest it could arrive as soon as the fourth week of October, a shift authorities are linking to changing weather patterns.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who also oversees disaster management matters, has been urging the public to stay alert and start preparing now rather than waiting for the first heavy rains to hit. The National Disaster Management Agency has a track record of mobilising heavily for this season, in past years deploying more than 100,000 personnel, tens of thousands of equipment assets, and identifying well over 3,000 flood hotspots nationwide, concentrated mostly in Pahang, Kelantan, Sabah and Terengganu.
An earlier start doesn't automatically mean a worse season, but it does compress the preparation window for state agencies, local councils and residents in high-risk zones. If you live in an area that's flooded before, this is probably a good week to check your emergency kit and figure out your evacuation route before the rains actually arrive.
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