Delineation of flood inundation extent as the result of land use changes in Kuantan River Basin

Flood is undoubtedly the most devastating natural disaster in Malaysia. Flood induced problems such as loss of life, property damages, and infrastructure disruptions have distressed the local authorities and government agencies in Malaysia including the Kuantan District. One of the worst floods that occurred in Kuantan took place in December 2013 which was caused by extreme monsoon rain. This massive flood resulted in the evacuation of around 14,044 people and major damages to the electricity, road structure, buildings, and properties. Although flood event happens in a yearly basis in the Kuantan River Basin (KRB), there are still lack of flood risk management studies conducted in this region. Hence, a comprehensive flood study, especially the generation of flood inundation map (FIM) in (KRB) is highly needed for the future urban planning purpose. This study aims to simulate the flood hydrograph based on extreme rainfall events, and to develop the FIM for KRB. Watershed and river networks of the KRB were delineated from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission Digital Elevation Model (SRTMDEM) with a resolution of 30 m using ArcGIS application. ArcGIS integrated application, the Geospatial Hydrologic Modelling Extension (HEC-GeoHMS) was used to extract the hydrological parameters as the input for the hydrological modelling. For the rainfall-runoff analysis, the SCS Unit Hydrograph transformation method and SCSCN loss method were implemented in the Hydrologic Modelling System (HEC-HMS). Runoff results from the hydrological model were then applied in the 1D-2D River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) for the unsteady-flow simulation to simulate and predict the river water level and overbank flow which were subsequently used to generate FIM. The flood hydrographs that have been simulated from the hydrological modelling was compared with the observed data. After the process of calibration and validation, it was noted that the simulation produced the same pattern of flow discharge to the observed with an average Nash Sutcliffe efficiency, NSE of 0.641 and Root Mean Square Error, RMSE of 70.9 m³/s. For the result of the 1D hydraulic modelling, it indicates that the water levels simulated at the upstream and downstream of the Kuantan river was fitted with the observed levels with an average E of 0.716 and RMSE of 0.493 m. Meanwhile, for the 2D hydraulic modelling, the generated flood inundated areas in the year 2013 demonstrates almost 70% similarity to the observed flood areas. The flood extent using land use in year 2013 is almost 50% larger compared to that in year 2010 . Based on the modelling analysis and outcome, it can be concluded that generation of flood hydrograph and flood inundation extent is sufficient by SRTM-DEM in hydrological and hydraulic modelling

Disaster information media in ASEAN countries: a paired comparison method

The media, as a tool for creating awareness and educating the community, plays an important role in conveying information about natural disasters. Numerous types of information media can be used at present. However, the most widely used media type, the delivery stages and the role of media in disaster management remain under researched. This study performs a literature review of various information media for natural disasters used in ten Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries as a reference for creating disaster information media, which will be improved in future research. Information is obtained by reviewing 79 papers. Media information analysis is conducted using the paired comparison method. The components used for comparison cover media types, delivery phase and role in disaster management. Results show that the media used in ASEAN countries are similar: print media (e.g. brochures, posters, and newspapers), and electronic media (e.g. radio, television, Internet and modelling). The results of the analysis also indicate that the most commonly used disaster information media are electronic media, which deliver information during a disaster to convey information on events and losses incurred. Disaster simulation modelling, including evacuation routes and rescue efforts, is the information media that should be more widely used in the future. Information should be disseminated before a disaster occurs, very important apply situational crisis communication theory to an institution of disaster management in making the right decisions, strategic, and useful. Thereby rendering it useful in reducing the loss of life and damage to infrastructure caused by a disaster

Examining the information dissemination process on social media during the Malaysia 2014 floods using Social Network Analysis (SNA)

This article is based on a study which examined the information dissemination process on the social media during the Malaysia 2014 floods by employing the Social Network Analysis. Specifically, the study analyzed the type of network structure formed and its density, the influential people involved, and the kind of information shared during the flood.The data was collected from a non-governmental organization fan page (NGOFP) and a significant civilian fan page (ICFP) on Facebook using NodeXL.The two datasets contained 296 posts which generated different network structures based on the state of the flood, information available, and the needs of the information.Through content analysis, five common themes emerged from the information exchanges for both fan pages which helped in providing material and psychological support to the flood victims. However, only 5% of the networks' population served as information providers, and this prompted the need for more active participation especially from organizations with certified information. Based on the findings presented and elaborated, this article concluded by stating the implications and recommendations of the study conducted

Use of Social Media in Disaster Relief during the Kuantan (Malaysia) Flood

Natural disasters, particularly hydro-meteorological (climate-related) disasters such as droughts, tsunamis, hurricanes, typhoons and floods, have increased in prevalence and severity in recent decades. During these disasters, the most pressing relief needs are food, water, sanitation and shelter. While relief organizations are increasingly utilizing the power of social media for informational tools such as disaster response crisis mapping, social media-derived relief efforts initiated by the general public have also increased in popularity. Compared to relief organizations, which have greater access to resources, relief efforts initiated by the general public are typically less organized and more personal and exploratory in nature. This teaching case provides a detailed examination of grassroots uses of social media aimed at soliciting disaster-related assistance. The case study describes three relief effort initiatives that solicited support for victims of the most recent Malaysian flood