Senior citizen who fell in drain during flash flood found dead

GEORGE TOWN: A senior citizen who fell into a drain at Jalan Sungai Ara during flash floods earlier in the morning has been found dead.
The body of Lim Kean Chuan, 59, was found following a search and rescue operation by the Bayan Baru Fire and Rescue Department.
A spokesman from the department said several personnel went to the scene after receiving a distress call at 10.50am.
"His car was left nearby," he said, adding that the body was found at 2.10pm about 200 metres away inside another drain.
Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin who was at the scene during the search and rescue operations, expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased.
Sim said he had already briefed the state exco about the incident, and said he hoped the state government would speed up the RM24 million flood mitigation project for the area, to prevent such incidents in the future.
The downpour which began after midnight, caused flooding in Bayan Baru, Sungai Tiram, Bayan Lepas, Relau, Jalan Tengah, Air Itam, Jalan P. Ramlee and Lebuhraya Thean Tek.
Checks by theSun showed motorists were trapped in congestion near the flooded areas while traffic came to a standstill along Lebuhraya Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu.
The downpour also caused a landslip near Taman Lau Geok Swee in Paya Terubong.
Residents in the area expressed fear over the uprooted trees at the steep hill slopes following the landslip.
At the time of writing, Fire and Rescue Department personnel were seen clearing the fallen tree branches.