BUTTERWORTH: The floods which hit Penang on Friday were believed to have been caused by heavy rainfall of about 270 millimetres, equal to the amount that normally falls in a month.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said following the heavy rain which fell on Thursday night, the water level in the Ayer Itam dam rose by 20 per cent.
“The water in the dams rose from 74 percent to 94 percent, and this was very surprising because it showed that there was a huge volume of water,” he told reporters after attending the Malaysia Day Celebrations at SP Arena in Seberang Jaya here yesterday.
He said the state government hoped the federal government’s RM150-million flood mitigation plans would be completed soon to resolve the flood problems in the state.
On Friday, several areas around George Town as well as parts of the mainland, were inundated by floods measuring between 0.2 metres and 0.3 metres deep, following heavy rainfall since midnight on Thursday.
In Alor Setar, the flash floods that hit Kedah the past two days is now under control with two relief centres closed today and only one still open.
In Kuala Muda, the two relief centres opened yesterday at Surau Kampung Tengah and Dewan Kampung Tengah, accommodating 214 victims from 49 families, were closed at 8am yesterday with all the victims allowed to return home.
In Kangar, Perlis, the Civil Defence Force has asked residents to adhere to evacuation orders to prevent any untoward incidents from occurring following the torrential rains causing flash floods. – Bernama