No compensation for KL flash flood victims

KUALA LUMPUR: Victims of a major flash flood in the city last month will receive no compensation from the government or the local council (DBKL) as it was an "act of God".
Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Loga Bala Mohan said the amount of rainfall experienced in the two-hour long down pour on May 12 at about 6:45pm was vastly out of the norm.
"We did not consider compensating individuals whose house or vehicle was damaged in the flood because the amount of rainfall on that day was extraordinary, unexpected, and has been classified as an 'Act of God'," Loga Bala told the Dewan Negara today.
He said the Federal Territories Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPSWP) recorded 106.5mm of rainfall in the two hours and the city's drainage system can only handle 70mm.
The flash flood submerged more than 100 cars on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim (Jalan Duta) and Jalan Pantai Baru, with traffic at a standstill for hours.
Loga Bala said flood waters subsided within half an hour after the rain stopped and traffic resumed quickly after.
He also said drains in the area have been cleaned on schedule on May 2 and May 3 for Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim and on April 20 for Jalan Pantai Baru.
Meanwhile, Loga Bala said, DBKL will start with flood mitigation works near the two areas with an estimated total cost of RM85 million.
These include upgrading its irrigation system along the Air Batu Stream, Pantai river, and Klang river by installing a pipe system in conjunction points to sustain more than 70mm of rainfall on Jalan Pantai Baru.
DBKL also advised Universiti Malaya to maintain its flood water retention pond properly as it was found that de-silting was not completed.
On the Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim side, Loga Bala said DBKL has replaced an armco pipe in Taman Botani Perdana and will also build an adjacent flood water retention pond.
An additional culvert across Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar under Taman Botani Perdana will also be built.
Loga Bala was responding to an oral question by Senator Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah, who asked if the flood victims will be compensated.