Malaysia: Penang airport floods stall 12 flights

CRYSTAL CHIAM SHIYING, CAVINA LIM, and JOLYNN FRANCIS
The Star 19 Jul 16;

GEORGE TOWN: A total of 12 flights were rescheduled at the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas after the terminal was flooded during a five-hour downpour which began at about 2.30pm.

The downpour caused the arrival hall to be flooded with water levels reaching 0.3m at about 5pm before subsiding about an hour later.

Airport senior manager Mohd Arif Jaafar said 10 incoming and two outgoing flights were affected from about 4pm onwards.

Among the affected flights were incoming AirAsia flights from Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur (two), Saigon and Johor Baru.

Also delayed were a Firefly flight from Kota Baru and three Malindo flights from Malacca, Subang and Kuala Lumpur.

There was also traffic jam at the arrival area of the airport as water was seen overflowing at the roundabout near the terminal.

Contractor Ong Lay Hong, 53, who was at the airport to pick up his son, who was arriving back from Beijing, said he was at the airport at 4.15pm and the water level was already rising.

“The water was flowing from inside the arrival hall to the waiting area for taxis,” he said.

Travellers, among them American tourist Trisha Goulding, 29, were seen lugging their heavy luggage through the water at the arrival hall.

“It is very inconvenient to drag my luggage through this flood water,” she said.

The flooding has happened for the umpteenth time at the airport since the RM250mil expansion project was completed at the end of 2012 and despite various measures taken over the years to reduce the flooding woes.

Based on newspaper reports, the airport had been hit by flash floods, sometimes up to twice a year.

Heavy rainfall also resulted in flooding in several areas on the island including Permatang Damar Laut, Teluk Bahang and Batu Ferringhi.

Teluk Bahang residents said it was one of the worst flash floods in recent years, with about 300 houses affected by the rising waters.

Teluk Bahang Village Development and Security Com­mittee chairman Zainudin Yusoff, 54, said the area worst hit in Teluk Bahang was Kampung Nelayan, which is near a river.

He said that it had rained for about 20 hours since 9.15pm on Sunday and that the condition worsened yesterday due to high tide.

South-west district officer Ederis Mat Din said about 30 people from 10 families had been evacuated yesterday.

But it is learnt that they returned to their homes once flood waters subsided.

He also confirmed there was no death reported at press time yesterday.

State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said heavy rainfall was recorded up to 190mm in the Teluk Bahang Dam and high tide had caused the Sungai Teluk Awak’s bank to burst.

The Meteorological Department here recorded a total rainfall of 164mm as of 8pm at the Bayan Lepas station yesterday, with the highest rainfall reading at 69.2mm at 5pm.


Heavy rains cause floods inside Penang airport
The Star 18 Jul 16;

GEORGE TOWN: Tourists were seen lugging their heavy bags through a flooded Penang International Airport after a heavy downpour caused water to seep into the arrival hall in Bayan Lepas.

However, flights in and out of the airport remained open.

American Trisha Goulding, 29, said it was inconvenient to trudge around her luggage in flood waters.

"We had to circle in the air for awhile before landing," she said.

A Tourism Malaysia staff said it started flooding around 5pm.

"The waters were less than 0.3 meters in here but rose quite high in the waiting area outside," she said when interviewed at the scene.


14 flights rescheduled at Penang airport after storm
JOLYNN FRANCIS The Star 18 Jul 16;

GEORGE TOWN: A total of 14 flights had to be rescheduled on Monday after heavy rains lashed the Penang International Airport (PIA) in Bayan Lepas.

Airport senior manager Mohd Arif Jaafar said the 10 incoming and four outgoing flights were affected since 4pm.

The airport’s arrival hall were flooded causing passengers to lug their suitcases through the waters.

Among the affected flights were AirAsia flights from Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur (two), Saigon and Johor Baru.

Also delayed was a Firefly flight from Kota Baru and three Malindo Air flights from Malacca, Subang and Kuala Lumpur.

The departure flights affected were Malaysia Airlines flights to Kuala Lumpur and AirAsia flights to Singapore.


One of worst floods hit Penang's Teluk Bahang
The Star 18 Jul 16;

GEORGE TOWN: Teluk Bahang came under knee-deep of water after a continuous downpour from 1pm Monday in one of the worst floodings in years.

State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said lightning storms and strong winds were reported.

“Flood waters rose up to 0.3 meters.

“The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPS) are already in the area to provide assistance and clean up after the flood recedes,” he said.

Bernama reports that Teluk Bahang area was been hit by one of the worst flash floods in years due to the heavy rains.

The water level in some areas had reached above the knee and some cars had been stuck in the flood.

Locals expressed their worries as some areas had never experienced such a bad flash flood before.

One of the locals met who lived near the Teluk Awak river, Iskandar Hassan, 43, said that the water had risen quite fast and many vehicals had been stranded and water had entered several houses.

"If the rain continues, I am afraid that this will continue to happen throughout the rainy season," he said.

Teluk Bahang assemblyman Datuk Shah Headan Ayoob Hussain Shah when contacted by Bernama said his main worry was that the flash flood was being triggered by the hill clearings.

Chow when contacted said that heavy rainfall up to 190mm had been recorded in Teluk Bahang Dam and high tide had caused the Teluk Awak river to overflow its banks.

The flooded areas are along Jalan Hassan Abas and the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) personnel had been sent to the flooded locations to assist the people.

Chow also said that so far the flood had been recorded at 12 inches in certain places and might be higher in some other places as heavy rain was expected to last till late evening.

Flash flood in Teluk Bahang due to poor drainage, says Hilmi
The Star 19 Jul 16;

BALIK PULAU: The flash flood which hit Teluk Bahang on Monday was due to the poor drainage system at Sungai Teluk Bahang, said Balik Pulau MP Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya.

Dr Hilmi, who is also Deputy Health Minister, said he would request for state and Federal allocations to build a bridge at Sungai Teluk Bahang to replace the two blocked water channels, which caused spillage to the village.

He said this to reporters after visiting the temporary flood shelter at the Penang City Council community hall near here on Monday night.

Several low lying areas in Penang, including Bayan Lepas, Batu Maung, Relau, Teluk Bahang and Penang International Airport were hit by flash floods following continuous heavy rains since noon.

He said five families were placed at the community hall while the rest stayed at their homes for fear of losing their valuables.

Over 300 families in Kampung Nelayan, Kampung Teluk Awak and Kampung Mukim 1 in Teluk Bahang were affected by the floods. – Bernama