BALVIN KAUR New Straits Times 4 Nov 16;
GEORGE TOWN: Flood-weary Penangites were hit with more inundation today.
Flash flooding was reported this morning in several areas in the southwest of the island, including Bayan Lepas, Bayan Baru and Baru Maung.
Checks by NST revealed that water levels rose after a heavy downpour which began at about 10.30am.
Flood waters, which rose to ankle level during the one hour downpour, only receded by 12.30pm.
Soaked Penangites are beginning to voice frustration with the authorities’ lack of action in mitigating constant flooding in the state.
Siti Hamziah Mat Salleh, 58, said she was tired of the constant flooding and living in fear of inundation.
"This time, the water did not go up so high, but the flooding frequency and fear of it is really taking a toll on us.
"We are not young or rich that we can easily clean up and buy new stuff every week.
"Some of my stuff is damaged beyond repair from two earlier floods this week," she said.
Hamziah said the authorities should stop making excuses and start finding a solution to the flooding problems.
"I am pleading with the state government to stop blaming the environment, the previous government or the federal government, and start doing the job we elected them to do," she said.
Heavy rain jams up Penang roads
N. TRISHA and INTAN AMALINA MOHD ALI The Star 5 Nov 16;
GEORGE TOWN: A two-hour downpour caused a massive traffic crawl in several areas around Penang island.
Areas such as Jalan Mayang Pasir and Jalan Mahsuri in Bayan Baru; Taman Lip Sin in Sungai Dua; Bayan Lepas, Batu Maung and Permatang Damar Laut were hit by flash floods.
Floodwaters caused at least three cars to stall along Medan Kampung Relau in Bayan Lepas.
Water levels started to rise from 10am yesterday.
Perak Road Fire and Rescue Department senior officer Mohd Rizuwan Abu Hassan said that water levels rose to more than 0.6m but subsided quickly.
“We received a report about the stalled cars at about 11am but they had been shifted when we arrived at the scene,” he said.
Yeap Ban Choon, 54, who was attending a seminar at Alora Hotel in Bayan Lepas, said he was shocked to see the road flooded when he was exiting the hotel.
“I wanted to leave as I had an important meeting to attend, but unfortunately I was forced to stay put as the water level was too high.
“I had to wait in the hotel till it subsided at around 11.30am,” said the software company manager who was irked by the constant flash floods in the state.
Former Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Wong Mun Hoe said that many of his friends forwarded pictures of the flood to him.
“My friends always keep me informed to make sure none of us are stuck in the floods.
“Every time it rains, there seems to be a flood in Penang,” he said.
“It is a worrying matter and I hope the state government can seriously look into it.”
Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin said the unusual weather was a contributing factor to the flash floods.
“I will be requesting for allocations from the state government for flood mitigation projects in Bayan Baru and Batu Maung,” he said.
Batu Maung assemblyman Datuk Abdul Malik Abul Kassim said many factors contributed to the flash floods in Batu Maung.
“The rainy weather, ongoing flood mitigation projects as well as road widening are some of the reasons for flash floods in Batu Maung.
“The drains have not been completed for the road widening project,” he said.
In Balik Pulau, a waterspout was spotted near Kampung Perlis and another at Pulau Betong.
Photographs of the waterspout, usually caused by unstable weather conditions and strong winds, went viral.
A witness claimed he saw two waterspouts at Pulau Betong.
“They happened at Pulau Betong and luckily not near the coast which could have caused major damage to the villages.
“I immediately alerted the residents about the waterspouts,” he said.
Residents in Batu Maung and Permatang Damar Laut were also affected by floods on Wednesday.
On Deepavali day last Saturday, residents in Bandar Baru Air Itam, Taman Lumba Kuda and Jalan P. Ramlee suffered the brunt of torrential rains.
