Urban Resilience under Extreme Climate Stress:Evidence from 2023-2024 El Niño Impacts in Northern Malaysia

Nur Aili Hanim Hanafiah; Nor Suzylah Sohaimi; Khofizhoah Mohd Karim

doi:10.31127/tuje.1968271

Urban Resilience under Extreme Climate Stress:Evidence from 2023-2024 El Niño Impacts in Northern Malaysia

Abstract

The 2023-2024 El Niño event was among the strongest climate anomalies in recent decades and posed significant risks to urban systems, particularly in climate sensitives regions such as Northern Malaysia. This study assessed the impacts of the El Niño event on urban resilience in Kedah, Perlis and Penang by integrating meteorological data, household surveys and an institutional preparedness assessment. Analysis of Malaysia Meteorological Department records indicated increases in average maximum temperature of approximately 1.2°C to 1.8°C and reductions in cumulative rainfall of about 20-35 percent relative to 1991-2020 baseline. Survey responses suggested that approximately 62 percent of respondents experienced moderate to severe heat-related discomfort, while 38 percent reported water supply disruptions and 41 percent reported increased household expenditure. The institutional assessment indicated uneven preparedness across the three states with comparatively stronger adaptive capacity observed in Penang than in Kedah and Perlis. Taken together, the findings suggest that urban resilience during El Niño events is shaped by the interaction of climatic exposure, governance capacity and social vulnerability and point to the need for integrated, place based adaptation strategies under intensifying climate extremes. The study underscored the need for integrated place-based adaptation strategies to strengthen urban resilience under escalating climate extremes.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Environmentally Sustainable Engineering, Water Resources and Water Structures

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Nur Aili Hanim Hanafiah ^*
0000-0003-3655-8631
Malaysia

Nor Suzylah Sohaimi
0000-0002-4262-0116
Malaysia

Khofizhoah Mohd Karim
0009-0009-0071-3282
Malaysia

Publication Date

October 16, 2026

Submission Date

June 26, 2026

Acceptance Date

July 23, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 10 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31127/tuje.1968271

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA38FN63GW

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Hanafiah, N. A. H., Sohaimi, N. S., & Mohd Karim, K. (2026). Urban Resilience under Extreme Climate Stress:Evidence from 2023-2024 El Niño Impacts in Northern Malaysia. Turkish Journal of Engineering, 10(4), 1435-1442. https://doi.org/10.31127/tuje.1968271

AMA

1.Hanafiah NAH, Sohaimi NS, Mohd Karim K. Urban Resilience under Extreme Climate Stress:Evidence from 2023-2024 El Niño Impacts in Northern Malaysia. TUJE. 2026;10(4):1435-1442. doi:10.31127/tuje.1968271

Chicago

Hanafiah, Nur Aili Hanim, Nor Suzylah Sohaimi, and Khofizhoah Mohd Karim. 2026. “Urban Resilience under Extreme Climate Stress:Evidence from 2023-2024 El Niño Impacts in Northern Malaysia”. Turkish Journal of Engineering 10 (4): 1435-42. https://doi.org/10.31127/tuje.1968271.

EndNote

Hanafiah NAH, Sohaimi NS, Mohd Karim K (October 1, 2026) Urban Resilience under Extreme Climate Stress:Evidence from 2023-2024 El Niño Impacts in Northern Malaysia. Turkish Journal of Engineering 10 4 1435–1442.

IEEE

[1]N. A. H. Hanafiah, N. S. Sohaimi, and K. Mohd Karim, “Urban Resilience under Extreme Climate Stress:Evidence from 2023-2024 El Niño Impacts in Northern Malaysia”, TUJE, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 1435–1442, Oct. 2026, doi: 10.31127/tuje.1968271.

ISNAD

Hanafiah, Nur Aili Hanim - Sohaimi, Nor Suzylah - Mohd Karim, Khofizhoah. “Urban Resilience under Extreme Climate Stress:Evidence from 2023-2024 El Niño Impacts in Northern Malaysia”. Turkish Journal of Engineering 10/4 (October 1, 2026): 1435-1442. https://doi.org/10.31127/tuje.1968271.

JAMA

1.Hanafiah NAH, Sohaimi NS, Mohd Karim K. Urban Resilience under Extreme Climate Stress:Evidence from 2023-2024 El Niño Impacts in Northern Malaysia. TUJE. 2026;10:1435–1442.

MLA

Hanafiah, Nur Aili Hanim, et al. “Urban Resilience under Extreme Climate Stress:Evidence from 2023-2024 El Niño Impacts in Northern Malaysia”. Turkish Journal of Engineering, vol. 10, no. 4, Oct. 2026, pp. 1435-42, doi:10.31127/tuje.1968271.

Vancouver

1.Nur Aili Hanim Hanafiah, Nor Suzylah Sohaimi, Khofizhoah Mohd Karim. Urban Resilience under Extreme Climate Stress:Evidence from 2023-2024 El Niño Impacts in Northern Malaysia. TUJE. 2026 Oct. 1;10(4):1435-42. doi:10.31127/tuje.1968271