Penang residents livid after latest flooding

GEORGE TOWN: Residents of flood prone areas in Penang are getting fed-up with their homes were hit repeatedly with flood waters during heavy rainfall.
Some of the affected residents told theSun: "Is it too much to ask the state government to do something to prevent our houses being hit by flood water whenever it rains."
Ali Omar, 40 said it was only in November last year his house was hit by flood waters and again now I am faced with the same dilemma.
"I am truly frustrated. I am also unhappy that the state government has not looked into our plights," he said, adding just a few hours of rain and their houses are in flood waters.
Ali who lives at Kampung Masjid Jamek Sheikh Yusoff near Datuk Keramat said the flood situation cannot be allowed to continue and the state government must act as soon as possible.
Amir Osman, 39 who lives in Jalan P. Ramlee said on Saturday they too were hit by overflow of water from a river around 7pm.
He attributed poor drainage system as the cause and urge the authorities to deepen the river basin.
On Saturday , three hour of heavy down pour caused water level at several parts in Penang flooded with water and has caused road become impassable to vehicles.
State local government, traffic management and flood mitigation committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow, said in a Facebook posting today there are three district in Penang that were hit by the flooding.
Among the affected are Jalan Kampung Relau, Jalan Tengah, Jalan Tun Sardon intersection, Jalan Relau, Jalan Mahsuri, Jalan Tun Dr Awang, Persiaran Relau and Gerbang Sungai Ara in the southwest district.
In northeast district the affected area were Kampung Masjid, Kampung Rawa, Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Terengganu, Datuk Keramat post office, Sungai Relau, Sungai Dua, Sungai Pinang, Masjid Negeri while in North Seberang Prai there are only two area affected which was in Taman Cantek, and Mak Mandin.
Chow said among the cause of the flooding was heavy rain that exceed the cumulative of 60mm reading and also the heavy rain at the upstream and downstream.
He also said that the weakness of drainage system in some part of the southwest district also had contributed to the risen flood water in the areas.
However no residents has been evacuated and the flood start to subsided at about 3am in the morning.
When contacted Gerakan vice chairman Oh Tong Keong said the state should be more proactive in solving the flash flood woes and start taking action rather than implementing only.
He attributed the situation to uncontrolled rapid development and the clearing of hill.