Heavy rains cause havoc in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: Penang continues to be in dire straits as heavy rain and flooding have caused untold damage to the island state.
Although the rainfall has moderated since noon today, it is the after-effects of such torrid weather that is bearing down on the inhabitants.
At the state assembly sitting on Nov 2, State Flood Mitigation, Local Government and Traffic Management committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said there were 119 flood incidents in the state from 2013 until Oct 15 this year.
He said the flooding on Sept 15 was the worst ever, affecting 119 areas and 5,498 victims.
The floods on Sept 15 was preceded by 270mm of rainfall – a record at that time.
The rainfall recorded over a 24-hour period from Saturday to today was 315mm – 40mm more than on Sept 15. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has forecast that bad weather will continue till the end of the week.
In the latest post on its website, the department said continuous rainfall with strong winds are expected in Penang until Saturday.
The state has not only been inundated with flood waters reaching as high as 3.5m, with some speculating online that the downpour was the result of Typhoon Damrey which swept across Vietnam, but also the ensuing after-effects.
Penang has now to cope with countless landslips, traffic congestion as roads have been cut off, debris, power outages, relocation of the victims, suspension of public services and others.
The latest updates are:
Seven persons, six Malaysians and one Bangladeshi, are dead. Northeast district police chief Asst Comm Anuar Omar confirmed the deaths.
Close to 2,500 people were relocated to flood relief centres in the five districts of the state, mostly in schools.
Penang Hill funicular rail service was suspended due to a landslide.
Ride sharing service provider Uber has issued a statement, urging their drivers to be careful while out providing transport and that they have scrapped the additional fees for trip cancellation or delays.
Over 100 troops have fanned out throughout the state to help out.
Residents in Balik Pulau have no access out of the district, as both roads have been affected by floods and landslides.
Many key artery roads in George Town remained impassable due to floods and congestion.
Residents in the Straits Regency condominium units anxiously wait on whether their units can be declared safe by the Penang Island City Council because of a nearby sinkhole and the collapse of a retention wall near the Surin project site, which has raised concerns over the structural integrity of the area near the Straits Regency.
Flights at the Penang International Airport remained on schedule with a few slight delays but there are no major disruptions for now.
The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers Penang branch is upset with the Meteorological Department for not providing quick and accurate reading of the weather pattern, saying in a statement that their members have lost millions.