Engineers working round the clock to strengthen Sungai Muda embankment

GEORGE TOWN: Engineers from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) are working round the clock to strengthen the embankment of Sungai Muda.
The overflowing of the river was cited as one of the main reasons for the worst floods to hit the region, especially on Saturday when a 12-hour downpour triggered a deluge into low lying areas in Penang.
By 3am on Sunday, the floodwaters had reached Bukit Mertajam, Kepala Batas and Tasek Gelugor, with some of the areas still flooded as of 7pm today.
DID also suffered a setback when a pumphouse near Sungai Muda between the border of Kedah and Penang was swept away on Sunday.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the river's breach of its banks was the main cause for the Bukit Mertajam, Tasek Gelugor and Kepala Batas areas to remain waterlogged, adding that there is a need to address the issue of rivers easily bursting its banks.
According to the DID website, most of the river levels in Penang are back to normal.
However, the Meteorological Department has warned of another wave of rainstorms, with most parts of Penang and southern Kedah and northern Perak experiencing grey skies and occasional rain since 3pm today.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar earlier today said that floods may come back as the monsoon season was not over yet on the west coast.
"The monsoon will only be completed at the end of November," he said, adding that the pattern may shift towards the east coast later. According to the National Disaster Management Agency website, 3,945 people remained in five flood relief centres in Penang and Kedah as of 6pm today.
Penang police deputy chief Datuk Roslee Chik also revealed that 60 personnel had continued with their duties on Sunday despite their quarters in Air Itam being inundated.
The same situation was experienced by 600 firefighters, who stayed on the job even when their stations and homes were flooded, said state Fire and Rescue Department director Saadon Mokhtar.