More floods to come in Kota Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU: Heavy rain that coincides with high tides will remain a recipe for flooding in low-lying areas of the city and its greater areas for at least a year to come.

Flash floods lasting several hours continue to be experienced in many low-lying areas around the city as heavy rainfall over the last three weeks came at the same time as the incoming or high tide.

Under high tide conditions, water from rivers cannot flow out to the sea quickly.

According to officials, there was nothing much the authorities could do under these circumstances except to wait for the completion of two flood mitigation schemes, which are expected to be ready in about 18 months.

According to Luyang assemblyman Hiew King Chew, the Federal Government had already approved RM50mil in funding in order to set up two tidal gates in Sembulan and Kapayan here.

He said the project would be implemented by the Drainage and Irrigation Department.

“The project will include a pump house in order to pump out water from inland areas when heavy rains come during high tides,” he said.

Hiew added that the flood mitigation scheme would also help to resolve flooding problems faced in the Luyang, Kapayan and Lido areas.

“I have been informed that they will be starting work by early next year,” he said in response to public complaints over the alleged “inaction” by the Kota Kinabalu City Hall to resolve the flood problem.

Incessant rain on Thursday saw many low-lying areas here, including main roads, flooded for several hours.

However, some felt that the Kota Kinabalu City Hall should be more proactive in cleaning up drains, and should take firm action against contractors whose projects were damaging or blocking up drains.

Kota Kinabalu mayor Datuk Abdidin Madangkir and the city’s director-general Datuk Yeo Boon Hai could not be reached for comment on the matter, while meteorologists have forecast wet weather to continue until next year.