Flash floods in Penang due to chain reaction from over-development: Environmentalist

GEORGE TOWN: Environmentalists have stressed that the recurring flash floods in Penang were due to over-development in the state.

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) advisor, Kanda Kumar said that it did not take an expert to see that "Penang is being developed unsustainably as this can be seen even through the layman's eye".

"Buildings are being built wherever there is land despite the location, the density and others. When an area is being developed, the ground is filled with concrete, hence the soil cannot absorb the rain water anymore, causing it to flow down, flooding the low-lying areas," he said when contacted by Bernama.

Kanda said due to the high-density developments, the water usage capacity had increased but unfortunately, the drainage system was not being upgraded to accommodate the water flowing out into the drains, causing it to overflow.

He cited Bandar Baru Air Itam that was flooded on Deepavali last Saturday, as an area that is over-developed with high-density high-rise buildings being built across the township, and up to Paya Terubong.

"Water upstream does not have any barricade before flowing down, the soil cannot absorb water anymore while the drainage system is outdated and unsystematic, hence we have to brace for the floods. And all this is due to over-development, as it is a chain reaction," he said.

On the unfateful day, Bandar Baru Air Itam and half of George Town city were flooded after three hours of continuous rain, causing traffic gridlocks on major roads while some were impassable to vehicles, and houses inundated.

According to some local residents, the last time Bandar Baru Air Itam was flooded this severely was in 1995 and the nightmare returned last Saturday.

At a press conference on Monday, state Local Government, Flood Mitigation and Traffic Management Committee chairman, Chow Kon Yeow said the flash floods were not caused by over-development, and asserted that the problem could only be solved with the injection of RM350 million from the federal government for flood-mitigation projects.

However, Kanda said the state should have 'Plan B' to tackle the issue and not push the responsibility entirely to the federal government to solve.
"The state is the one that approves development projects, hence it has the power to ask developers to upgrade the drainage system that will be affected by these projects. If that happens, we will not have outdated drainage systems anymore," he said.

The Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) in its statement had concluded that the flood was due to the high density of rain and unsystematic drainage system.

Kanda said besides making the developers upgrade the drains in the development areas and the drains downstream that would channel the water to the sea, the state should build retention ponds in low-lying areas and control the development in such areas.

"The state must do more for the long term to minimise flooding, instead of sitting and hoping the money will come.

"I believe there are other ways to solve the problem and I also believe the state has the capacity to do it, including in terms of funding," he said. — Bernama