GEORGE TOWN: A two-hour downpour caused many parts of Penang’s capital, including the heritage district, to be hit by flash floods.
Water from overflowing drains rose above the five-foot way along Rope Walk, Katz Street and McNair Street in the heritage district.
The other areas affected included Weld Quay, Macalister Road, Ngah Aboo Lane, Anson Road, Nanking Street, Cecil Street (near the market), Jalan Timah, Kampung Jawa Lama, Carnarvon Street, and Victoria Street.
On the outskirts of the city, the low-lying areas of Sungai Pinang were also flooded, with the water rising from 100mm to 300mm, affecting Terengganu Road and the Jalan P Ramlee areas and as far as Dato Keramat.
Heavy rain fell at 3.30am and stopped only about two hours later. No evacuations were reported.
A state official estimated that the downpour may have measured nearly a quarter of November’s average rainfall. Five rainfall stations recorded 32mm to 146mm of rain, the highest at the Scotland Road station. The average rainfall in the state this month is 231mm, according to ClimaTemps.com.
State infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the city council was upgrading the drainage system and raising road levels in the P Ramlee area, which is expected to provide some relief in the short term.
He said the Sungai Pinang flood mitigation project is ongoing and expected to provide longer-term relief.
State environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the flash floods were likely caused by high tides, as rivers could not discharge excess rainfall into the sea.
The last recorded flash floods were on June 29, where a two-hour downpour of 150mm inundated several parts of Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah, causing the main thoroughfare to be cut off temporarily. - FMT
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