In questo 2022, il livello dell’acqua raggiunge la sponda superiore del fiume (meno grave che nell’alluvione del 2006)

La Malesia e le alluvioni annuali

In Malesia ogni anno la stagione dei monsoni fa le sue vittime. In questo articolo, Grija racconta come ha vissuto la grave alluvione del 2006.
Malaysia, Southeast Asia

Story by Grija Vijayan. Translated by Daniela Pratesi
Published on June 26, 2022.

This story is also available in GB kr



Mentre alcuni di voi si preparano a lasciare il paese per una breve vacanza con la famiglia, qui in Malesia c’è chi sta perdendo casa e famiglia nelle consuete alluvioni annuali. E’ triste e spaventoso, ma ormai siamo abituati alle alluvioni. Ci limitiamo a sperare che amici e parenti si riprendano il prima possibile dalle conseguenze di questa calamità naturale.

Dedico questa storia a tutte le vittime delle alluvioni che hanno perso tutto e che continuano a vivere la vita fino in fondo. Sicuramente non è facile riprendersi da un disastro naturale, specialmente se accade ogni anno. E ogni anno mi torna in mente la terribile alluvione che ho vissuto nel 2006.

Ero tornata a casa dall’università tra un semestre e l’altro, verso dicembre del 2006. Essendo stata ammessa a un’università locale, ero contentissima di poter restare a casa più lungo. Normalmente, queste ferie durano solo una o due settimane, ma alla fine dell’anno abbiamo un mese di pausa. Ero decisa a stare a casa e a godermi ogni momento passato in famiglia, non sapendo che i miei piani avrebbero presto preso una piega differente.

In Malesia, le alluvioni sono perlopiù provocate dalle intense precipitazioni portate dai monsoni periodici alla fine dell’anno, in genere tra novembre e gennaio. Alcune inondazioni improvviste sono dovute allo scarso drenaggio, mentre altre inondazioni sono provocate dal cosiddetto Effetto Al Gore, cioè un clima eccezionalmente freddo. Lo stato di Johor, da cui provengo, non si trova nella zona normalmente investita dai monsoni, ma nel 2006 siamo stati colpiti molto duramente dall’Effetto Al Gore.

Mia madre mi svegliò di mattina presto. Non sentivo granché, ma non si poteva sfuggire al suono della pioggia battente. Sapevo che non potevamo assolutamente essere inondati perché vivevamo sulla sponda superiore del fiume, e il fiume non esondava mai dalla riva più alta. La pioggia abbondante poteva tutt’al più alzare il livello dell’acqua. Sapevo che, se il fiume fosse straripato dalla sponda più alta, tutta la città sarebbe scomparsa. Non avevo mai visto il fiume esplodere, fino a quell’anno.

Vidi galleggiare davanti ai miei occhi divani, scarpe, abiti e tutto quello che la gente possedeva.

Ancora assonnata, indossai le pantofole. La pioggia si era leggermente calmata. Uscii con l’ombrello e andai a dare un’occhiata al fiume, e vidi galleggiare tutti questi oggetti. Rimasi sconvolta. Più che sconvolta. Vidi galleggiare davanti ai miei occhi divani, scarpe, abiti e tutto quello che la gente possedeva. Chi avrebbe mai pensato che quell’inondazione sarebbe stata considerata la peggiore della storia del sud della Malesia? So per certo che è ancora considerata la peggiore della storia, perché se ne è parlato ovunque, sia online che nei notiziari. Da allora, non abbiamo più avuto inondazioni simili.

 

Nonostante il pericolo, eravamo grati di vivere almeno sulla sponda superiore del fiume e di non avere perso niente e nessuno nell’inondazione. Ma poi ci siamo accorti che non eravamo stati così fortunati. Per giorni e giorni, siamo rimasti senza acqua e senza elettricità. Per non parlare dell’acqua pulita: morivo dalla voglia di fare una doccia calda. Non potevamo andare da nessuna parte, perché le strade principali erano allagate, e tutte le comunicazioni con le nostre città erano interrotte.

Sedici anni dopo, sono ancora terrorizzata al pensiero dell’alluvione del 2006, specialmente quando la pioggia inizia a scrosciare nella stagione dei monsoni. Anche quando vivevo negli Stati Uniti, chiamavo continuamente a casa ogni volta che in Malesia iniziava la stagione dei monsoni. Sapevo di non poter fare niente da laggiù per contribuire ad alleviare la situazione, ma è solo che le piogge abbondanti e frequenti mi terrorizzano ancora oggi. Anche se meno gravemente che nel 2006, l’inondazione ci ha colpiti anche quest’anno. Come capita un anno sì e un anno no.

Non solo l’inondazione, ma anche questo pazzo Effetto Al Gore mi ha colpito in questo periodo. Il monsone porta molta pioggia e anche molti inconvenienti. Prendo sempre la febbre e il raffreddore, perché il tempo impazzisce. Ci sono giorni in cui la temperatura arriva a 32°C e dopo pochi giorni scende magari a 21°C. Quindi, a chi di voi si prepara a fare un viaggio in Malesia nella stagione dei monsoni, consiglio di controllare il rischio di alluvioni e anche le pazze oscillazioni meteo che non potrete evitare. Programmate il viaggio di conseguenza e buon soggiorno in Malesia.


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Grija Vijayan

Grija Vijayan

Grija is a Malaysian-born expat who has lived the American dream. She earned her BSc. (Hons) in Zoology (Malaysia) and flew for her MS in Agricultural Sciences (USA) and survived 6 years somehow. If she is not reading a book, you can find her hunting for coffee, food, fashion, yoga, fitness or probably the next travel adventure. Hop in for a fun-filled reading adventure in her search for the best of both worlds.

Blog: thedoublelifeofanexpat.wordpress.com/

Instagram: @thedoublelifeofanexpat 

Twitter: @geevjtweets

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