RM12 million for flood mitigation projects

Elaborating on the same issue, Lim said the state government has allocated funding of some RM12 million to kick start flood mitigation projects
in Penang.
About the flash flood issue at the Penang International Airport (PIA), Sabri said the incident was not caused by water overflow from Sungai Teluk Kumbar or Sungai Bayan Lepas.
“There is no water overflow from rivers here (PIA). The existing construction of the airport could not accommodate heavy rainfall in this area,
thus causing flash flood” he told reporters present.
Chow added that last year, the management of PIA had built a On- Site Detention tank to take care of flood water in the arrival hall of the
airport.
“However, this project has failed to arrest the occurrence of flash floods at the PIA,” Chow said.
Lim explained that the flash floods at PIA was not caused by overflow of water from the rivers, but the physical construction of the existing airport.
“There is no river here to causewater overflow to PIA, so you (the Department of Irrigation and Drainage) need to ask the management of
the Penang International Airport,” he stressed.
Lim, who is also Bagan MP, repeated his advice to the federal government to look into allocations for project ratings for PIA in the interest
of Penangites.
Meanwhile, in a related development, CM visited the five families who fell victim to the Teluk Bahang flash floods who have temporarily been relocated to the evacuation centre at the Teluk Bahang community library on July 19.
“The cause of the flood that rarely happens here is due to the rare heavy rain that accumulated up to 250mm of rain. This amount of rain usually
takes a month or so to accumulate,” said Lim.
He added that some of these flash floods were caused by roadworks and that those are beyond state government control as they are under federal
government jurisdiction.
“The airport being flooded is also out of our jurisdiction as it is under the federal government so I have contacted the director of the Drainage
and Irrigation Department (JPS) Penang, Ir. Sabri Abdul Mulok, and he said that it was an internal problem so he is dealing with the problem
as we speak,” said Lim.
Eisah Abd Rahman, 78, is the oldest victim at the evacuation centre.
She was moved here together with her 34-year-old son, Mohd Zaki Itam.
“I was washing my clothes when it happened. It was so sudden and I was so shocked to see so much water surrounding me so fast. I just hope
my house and things are still intact,” said Eishah.
Each family was also given aid of RM200 and further help will be given later after obtaining more information from the Malaysian Civil
Defence Department (JPAM).
The families obtained the green light to return home later in the evening after JPAM confirmed that their homes were safe again to stay.} else {