Flash floods: FT Ministry to study cause, find long-term solution

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10  -- The Federal Territories Ministry will study the cause of the flash floods in the capital this afternoon and find a long term solution to prevent the incident from recurring.

Its Minister, Tan Sri Annuar Musa said he would request a report from the Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPS) and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) on the capabilities of the existing irrigation and mitigation system.

He said the ministry will also take into account whether the billions of money spent to build the mitigation system and Smart Tunnel are functioning well or what is available is not enough or whether   development control needed to be scrutinised.

Annuar said he also did not rule out the possibility of the flash floods which were deemed to be among the worst and unusual due to the ongoing developments in several locations around the city.

"I want to see if the large flow of water is related to the areas being developed. A study needs to be done to enable DBKL to see the implementation of a long-term plan,” he said in the live broadcast via Facebook during his visit to an evacuation centre here tonight.

 Annuar said the volume of rainfall today was more than usual and did not match the existing drainage system and it was seen as the cause of the incident.

Heavy rain which lashed the Klang Valley from 1.30 pm caused flash floods in five worst-hit areas namely Lebuh Ampang, Jalan Raja Alang (Kampung Baru), Lorong Air Leleh (Setapak), Jalan Gurney and Jalan San Ah Wing (Semarak) here. 

The floodwaters rose as high as between one and three metres in the affected areas. 

 Fifteen victims who were trapped by floodwaters in Jalan Gurney and Kampung Periuk in Jalan Raja Alang were rescued by firemen.

-- BERNAMA