Penang Identifies 53 Flood Hotspots

GEORGE TOWN, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- Penang has identified 53 flood hotspots statewide, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

He said the areas involved were found to have been inundated three times or more in the past three years, with the Seberang Perai Tengah district having the highest number of hotspots, with 18.

"This is followed by the Southwest (13 hotspots) and Northeast districts (10 hotspots). The Seberang Perai Utara and Seberang Perai Selatan districts have six hotspots each,” he said after officiating the launch of the State Disaster Control Centre (SDCC) at Komtar here today.

Also present was National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) Post-Disaster Division deputy director-general Hussain Moh.

Chow said the state government, in collaboration with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS), is implementing 14 flood mitigation projects throughout the state costing RM1 billion, with the major portion being allocated by the Federal government. 

He also said that Penang has not received any reports of major flood incidents this year, and that only RM270,000 from the RM2 million wang ihsan (compassionate) aid for flood victims had been spent.

He added that, nonetheless, the state government has set up 389 temporary relief centres statewide, just to be safe.

Regarding the SDCC launch, Chow said the centre, previously called the State Operations Room, has been fully upgraded and created to strengthen coordination between all the agencies involved in managing disasters, thus making it the main reference site for information coordination and integrated operations.

"If the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) issues a weather warning two or three days earlier, the SDCC will activate its preparedness level to high alert and coordinate on-the-field initiatives,” he said.

Chow added that the use of digital technologies and monitoring systems, such as closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV), could also help the authorities monitor soil movement and issue an early warning of any soil erosion or collapse at slopes.

"Through smart systems, real-time data monitoring and information integration of various agencies, the SDCC, which has been upgraded to the tune of RM750,000, will help expedite disaster response and mitigate the impact on lives, property and infrastructure,” he said.

-- BERNAMA