68 flood victims still housed in three relief centres in Penang

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Three flood relief centres are still operating in Penang housing 68 victims from two districts until noon today.
A spokesman for the Penang Fire and Rescue Department said only three flood relief centres were still operating compared to the seven relief centres opened yesterday.
"In Seberang Perai Tengah, two flood relief centres, the Kampung Permatang Pasir Community Hall and Kampung Guar Jering Hall are still open, housing 31 and 25 victims respectively. The people have not been allowed to return to their homes because the flood water has not receded yet," the spokesman said today.
Another flood relief centre was still operating in Lubuk Meriam, Seberang Perai Utara, housing 12 people, including two senior citizens.
The floods in the Lubuk Meriam area were receding and there was a possibility that all the flood victims would be allowed to return home this evening.
Checks at Sungai Bakap found the flood victims who had been housed at the Jawi Multipurpose Hall had returned to their homes and were busy cleaning up their houses.
A flood victim, R. Muthu, 51, said he was exhausted after cleaning the house after a flash flood last week. He had not completed the cleaning yet and today was struggling once again to clean up.
"I only hope the state government and relevant parties can do something to solve the flood problem in our area because every time it rains the houses here get flooded," said the father of the four children.
The flash floods in several areas in George Town on Sept 15 were caused by Typhoon Doksuri that caused the torrential rainfall in the state and not due to overflowing of water from the Air Itam dam.
Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa said the typhoon resulted in the distribution of 270mm of rainfall on Friday, an extraordinary reading recorded in Penang, as well as raising the level of Air Itam dam by 25% .
"Generally, Penang receives rain between 3mm and 52mm, but on Sept 15, the rainfall is 270 mm, meaning that it is beyond normal expectation. This incredible rain is not caused by the monsoon rain. It is the tail-end effect of Typhoon Doksuri which hit Vietnam. — Bernama