FLASH FLOODS WORST IN 14 YEARS FOR NORTHERN STATE PENANG

PENANG (Malaysia), Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Flash floods that sent some 10,000 people fleeing to higher ground last night is the worst for Penang in 14 years, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
However, some 1,000 families had returned home this morning after flood waters receded.


The areas worst affected were Jalan P Ramlee, Teluk Kumbar and Teluk Bahang on the island and Kampung Tok Suboh, Kampung Suluk, Sungai Batu and Kampung Paya on the mainland.

Ten landslides had also been reported leading to road closures.

Lim said he would be meeting several agencies to ensure aid to victims and
also seek additional allocation from the federal government for flood mitigation
projects.

"The federal government had only approved RM380 million for the project.
This is inadequate as about RM1 billion is needed for the entire project," he
said.

The RM380 million allocation was to upgrade and rehabilitate two rivers,
namely Sungai Pinang (RM130 mil) and Sungai Junjung (RM125 mil), and two other
areas -- Bukit Tambun (RM50 mil) and Valdor
(RM50 mil).

In northern state of Kedah, some 1,565 people from Yan, Pendang and Kuala
Muda had been evacuated to flood relief centres as at 5pm.

Yan had the most with 1,083 victims in five centres followed by Kuala Muda
with 450 victims in three centres and Pendang with 32 victims in one centre,
said Kedah Welfare Department director Zulkipli Ramli.

Kedah Chief Minister Azizan Abdul Razak who visited the victims in Yan said
they would be given aid to reduce their burden adding more aid would be given
after an evaluation of the situation.

Kedah United Malays National Organisation (Umno) liaison chairman Mahdzir
Khalid also visited the flood victims and gave away food and cash aid.
-- BERNAMA