KUALA LUMPUR – The royal town of Klang has been hit with floods once again amid continuous downpour since yesterday, following massive flooding in 2013.
According to Klang MP Charles Santiago, it is expected that the town will remain flooded throughout this morning unless the rain stops.
This came as a shock given expected rainfall for the whole of December was projected at 215mm, but it breached 280mm within a matter of six hours.
According to Santiago, the latest estimates suggest that there is more than 700mm of rainfall.
Residents face further calamity as the floods destroyed belongings when water began to spill over into houses.
I visited the homes of people, helped with the cleaning, but it was a scene of devastation. New furniture was soaked wet, filthy water was filling up homes, families struggled to find spaces to sleep in and cars were half-submerged.
“The people of Klang are furious and their anger is justified,” Santiago said on his Facebook post.
Among the many possible reasons for the floods, Santiago said it was due to climate change and poor management of the town’s drainage system.
Santiago highlighted that rain storms are increasing further due to warmer temperatures, which results in more moisture.
“We are aware of the amount of rainfall: Teluk Gong (279mm); Pandamaran (181.5mm); and Selat Muara Station (239.5mm) which covers Pandamaran, totalling 700mm and making it impossible for our drains and drainage system to manage,” he explained.
The DAP lawmaker also mentioned that only a week ago, he raised the issue of Klang’s poor drainage system to authorities, demanding funds to solve the matter.
In the Dewan Rakyat, Santiago said he had requested a RM6 million budget to clear drains in Klang, with an extra RM50 million to patch up potholes.
Additionally, Santiago had also asked the Public Works Department to renegotiate its present concession agreement for clearing drains from once every six months to weekly.
“The requests I have put forth in Parliament is to find a durable solution through workable strategies to alleviate the pain of the people in my constituency as soon as possible.
“Not even a week after, we now have another episode of flooding brought about by 700mm of rainfall, which is something our drains and existing drainage system can’t cope with,” he said, demanding RM60 million in emergency funds to clear Klang’s drainage system.
The floods have also caused power outages, prompting Tenaga Nasional Bhd to make an announcement saying that the electricity supply is expected to be resumed in stages.
Currently, the Klang MP is working to ensure assistance can be mobilised to his constituents.
However, should anyone encounter emergencies, Santiago has urged them to contact the nearest police station. – The Vibes, December 18, 2021
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