Author(s): Norlida Mohd Dom, Sandra Ligong, A. Razak Baharom
Linked Author(s): Norlida Mohd Dom
Keywords: Debris and mudflow warning system, landslides, Cameron Highlands, rainfall, debris
Abstract: Malaysia has long had a history of disastrous debris and mud floods that have wreaked havoc on human lives and properties. With the increase in human activities on hillsides, incidents of debris and mud floods have also increased. Not surprisingly, these incidents tend to occur on average once a year during the monsoon season, when there is heavy rainfall. Thus, recordkeeping of rainfall is crucial to the management of debris- and mudflow-related disasters. Based on the works on correlating rainfall and debris and mudflows in Cameron Highlands, a computer model was needed to automatically monitor rainfall events that could lead to future debris and mud floods. By automating this process, rainfall can be monitored to forecast critical events. A computer application was developed for calibration process to allow hydrologists to create their own model for the use of forecasting debris and mudflow events for Cameron Highlands or other interest location and area. This paper describes the development of a web-based computer application of the calibration model of debris and mudflow. Rainfall records go back to the late 19th century, and record keeping now falls under the jurisdiction of a government agency called Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID). Since its inception, a major function of DID has been to continuously augment its rainfall data keeping by adding rainfall stations all over the country. To date, there are 1, 200 automated rainfall stations nationwide. However, the rainfall data are archived for use in flood forensic, flood forecasting, and urban drainage planning. With major debris and mud flood incidents occurring on a frequent basis, there is an urgent need to utilise rainfall data for yet another use, which is debris and mud flood monitoring and forecasting. DID has been instrumental in monitoring these incidents as landslides that bring debris and mud begin to find its way to rivers and cause even greater damage. This paper describes the calibration methodology required to extract the information from rainfall data for use in debris and mud flood forensics, forecasting, and monitoring. Using a mathematical computer-based rainfall analysis model, many warning and evacuation line sets can be drawn into a graph for fast evaluation and verification of the final debris and mudflow warning model and graph at a particular interest area
Year: 2017