AUTHORITIES in Klang district have made adequate arrangements to mitigate possible twin natural disasters — flash floods due to high tide and the onset of the northeast monsoon.
Klang Land and District Office acting district officer Mohd Shahrizal Mohd Salleh said this was following the National Hydrographic Centre in Port Klang’s forecasted high tide phenomenon at 5.6m and the Malaysian Meteorological Department’s (MetMalaysia) announcement on the onset of the northeast monsoon.
“The monsoon’s heavy rainfall will likely cause more floods, particularly for residents living in low-lying areas.
“With high tide forecasted at 5.5m on Nov 4 at 5.21am, 5.6m on Nov 5 at 6.02am and on Nov 6 at 6.40am, while on Nov 7, the tide will reach 5.5m at 7.18am, our district authorities will be on alert,” he said.
On Dec 4 and 5, the tide will be at 5.4m and on Dec 6, it will drop to 5.3m.
If heavy rain and strong winds take place, the risk of a flood occurring will increase along the coastal areas.
Mohd Shahrizal announced that 11 areas had been identified as “highly vulnerable” during the monsoon and high tide, based on rainwater deluge on Oct 20 in several residential areas.
“Klang Municipal Council’s (MPK) Quick Action Team, the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence, Klang’s north and south police personnel and the Klang District Malaysian Red Crescent Society will be on alert over these 11 areas,” he said.
The areas are Kampung Tok Muda, Kampung Sungai Pinang in Pulau Indah, Pandamaran, Taman Selat Damai in Port Klang, Kampung Sungai Serdang, Bund Sementa, Bund Sungai Keramat, Kampung Perepat, North Port, Telok Gong and Pulau Ketam.
Mohd Shahrizal, who will assume the post as district disaster committee chairman, said that if the floods worsened as the high tide coincided with heavy rainfall, flood victims would be evacuated to relief shelters in community halls and schools.
He said 71 relief centres had been identified to house flood victims.
He added that the Village Community Representatives Council and various community leaders had been briefed to alert their residents on possible floods.
Meanwhile, Kuala Langat Municipal Council president Datuk Amirul Azizan Abd Rahim said coastal areas in the district — Pantai Kelanang, Pantai Baru Morib, Pantai Morib, Pantai Batu Laut, Pantai Cunang, Taman Harmoni Morib, Istana Bahagia Morib and Tanjung Sepat jetty — were temporarily closed to the public.
On the flood problem in Taman Melawis, Mohd Shahrizal said cleaning operations were ongoing.
He said dirt had been removed from drains at different points and similar cleaning measures had been carried out in other neighbourhoods.
StarMetro highlighted Taman Melawis’ flash flood problem in a report titled “Rising tide of dismay” on Nov 1, after which MPK’s Environmental Services Department began desilting drains.
Workers using excavators were seen lifting out dirt from a monsoon drain along the affected stretch that runs parallel with the Taman Melawis border.
MPK Environmental Services Department director Zaireezal Ahmad Zainuddin said all cleaning operations in Taman Melawis and other neighbourhoods would be completed before Nov 4.
“Our in-house workers removed an estimated three tonnes of dirt from two monsoon drains in Taman Melawis, while KDEB Cleaning Services workers were told to clean the smaller drains,” he added.
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