Residents' associations want state govt to tackle floods

GEORGE TOWN: Twenty-four residents' associations and community representatives in the state are urging the Penang DAP state government to take prompt and serious attention to tackle the problems of flash floods which often take place lately especially after a heavy rain.
Associations representative R. Meenakshi said they all expressed anxiety over the incidence of floods afflicting the state on Sept 15 which were regarded as among the worst ever and causing very severe damage.
She said the state government should use the incidence of floods as a warning to take immediate and serious action.
"We want the state government and elected representatives in the affected areas to take into account the rainfall situation, floods and hill erosions seriously because the increase in frequency and intensity of the rainfall could have been caused by the sudden climatic change.
"For your information, the Bandar Baru Air Itam Town area was the worst hit area in the flash floods on Sept 15.
The recent floods revealed the short and long-term causes and the measures necessary to reduce and solve the problem," she told a media conference which was also attended by 40 residents here today.
The five-hour-long heavy rain with a high tide of 2.1m on Sept 15 inundated 100 areas in five districts in Penang while several areas experienced landslides. — Bernama