Council moves fast to clean up after flash floods

GEORGE TOWN: The big clean-up of Penang kicked off with 100 local council staff starting work at 5.30am at 14 locations which were hit by flash floods in Penang following a four-hour downpour.

At 8.30pm on Monday, they were still cleaning the remnants of the mud at SMK Abdullah Munshi in Jalan P. Ramlee.

A Squad Pantas coordinator, who declined to be named, said the man- power were dispatched from the Urban Services, Enforcement and Landscaping division.

He said equipment, including five water tanks, was dispatched to clear the mud.

“Our squad is on standby 24 hours. When reports came in at 5am, we moved quickly to the respective locations to assist.

“It is important to work fast to reduce traffic congestion as roads are usually closed for cleaning using high water pressure to remove the mud as it may cause vehicles to skid.

“The staff had to work until late into the evening but many worked hard to get it done,” he said yesterday.

Thousands of residents in low-lying areas were hit by an early morning flood after a four-hour continuous downpour which start- ed at 2am on Monday.

The water level was knee-deep in some areas, and the situation was made worse by the high tide.

Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang personally went to the ground to evaluate the progress of cleaning at the school.

State Public Works, Utilities and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari reportedly said the high tide recorded at 1.95mm as at 2.21am saw several rivers, including Sungai Relau, Sungai Air Putih and Sungai Dondang, break their banks.

It led to flash floods in Jalan P. Ramlee, Lintang P. Ramlee, Lorong Kulit, Kampung Masjid, Jalan Terengganu, Jalan Gemas, Jalan Langkawi, Taman Abidin, in front of Masjid Rawana, Persiaran Perak, City Stadium’s food court and the Datuk Keramat post office.