GEORGE TOWN, Sept 15 – Penang has recorded the highest amount of rainfall ever in the state’s history, causing flash floods that swept parts of the island and mainland this morning, said the state government. The more than four hours of heavy rain since last night were part of the inter-monsoon phenomenon that is expected to hit other northern states in the peninsula.
State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said state Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) rainfall stations recorded high rainfall in just four hours – 198mm at the Sungai Pinang station (northeast district) and 175mm at the Teluk Bahang Dam station (southwest district).
The state’s highest rainfall reading of 270mm which was measured earlier today at Air Itam dam, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was also at the press conference. Lim is chairman of the Penang Water Supply Corporation. The heavy rainfall filled up the two dams on the island. With rainfall of 180mm, the Teluk Bahang dam is now 85.3% full, while the Air Itam dam is 91% full.
“The intensity of rain for one month poured within four hours, resulting in the flood we see today. The damn is also filled up to 91.1 per cent by 12.15pm today compared to 74.6 per cent yesterday. Teluk Bahang dam received 180mm of rain today which is really high,” he said at a press conference today.
So far, about 100 areas in five districts have been affected with the worst situation at northeast district of Penang. High tide has reportedly occurred since 4am today and by 8am, the wave rose to 2.1m. Flood victims involving 40 people from 19 families in Teluk Kumbar have been evacuated to a relief centre at Dewan Perda. One man from Mak Mandin in Butterworth was also evacuated.
Locations hit in the southwest district include Kg Naran, Kg Sulup, Kg Nelayan, Bayan Baru, Sungai Pinang, Teluk Bahang, Sungai Rusa, and Pondok Upeh. In the northeast district, the areas affected include Kg Masjid, Kg Makam, Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Masjid Negeri, Astaka Stadium, Jalan Tun Sardon, Farlim, Jalan Macallum, Taman Free School and Kg Mutiara in Batu Ferringhi.
On the mainland, all three districts were hit by flash floods. The affected areas in the northern Seberang Prai district include Butterworth, as well as the Mak Mandin industrial area. Some 50 homes were affected. In the central Seberang Prai district, several villages and residential areas in Seberang Jaya, Prai, Bukit Mertajam and Permatang Pauh were hit. In southern Seberang Prai district, Kg Nenas Sungai Kechil, Kg Sethu, Kg Titi Hitam and Kg Pengkalan. — PN
