ALOR STAR: The Fire and Rescue Department had to be called to take a 91-year-old woman to safety when her house in Kampung Seberang Perak was inundated with floodwaters 0.5-metre deep today.
Continuous rainfall since yesterday evening, compounded by the high-tide phenomenon, had led to flash floods in several areas in the city and other parts of the state.
Nonagenarian Tan Siew Kee, who lives alone, was rescued from her house by a team of firemen who was doing a round in the village after waters from Sungai Kedah overflowed.
Besides Tan, five other houses in the village were also hit by flood.
Meanwhile, Muda Agriculture Development Authority (Mada) Corporate Communications Department in a statement said that water level at Sungai Anak Bukit rose above the danger level of 1.7m, while the water level at both Sungai Bata and Sungai Arau has reached alert level.
Mada said that the Ampang Jajar barrage had to be closed due to high tide between 1am and 1.30pm to prevent seawater from entering Sungai Kedah, which could lead to massive flooding.
As at 1.30pm today, the water level at Sungai Kedah in Ampang Jajar rose to 1.83m above the normal level of between 0.76m and 0.91m.
Mada also warned that the high-tide phenomenon will continue for another three days and advised those living in coastal areas to take the necessary precaution if the heavy rain continues.
Kedah Civil Defence Force Disaster Management Committee coordinator, Captain Saifuddin Abdullah said continuous rain is expected to occur in the state until tomorrow (Friday, Sept 22).
So far no relief centre has been open.
Several main streets in the state were inundated with 0.5m-deep floodwater, including Jalan Kuala Kedah, Jalan Yan-Ruat, Jalan Singkir Darat and Singkir Laut.
In Kuala Muda, some 58 families who were affected are from Kampung Telok Amboi, Kang Keda Tukang Jusoh, Kampung Batu 5, Kampung Bujang, Kampung Paya Suri, Kampung Thye Eng and Kampung Permatang Batu Lintang.
While in Yan, the affected areas include Kampung Singkir Darat, Kampung Singkir Genting, Kampung Ruat, Kampung Singkir Laut and Kampung Tanjung Jaga.
According to the statement, several schools are also hit by flash floods, including Sekolah Kebangsaan Singkir, Sekolah Kebangsaan Sri Aman and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bedong.
Besides heavy rain, the flash floods were also caused by large quantity of running water overwhelming the drainage system.
Mada is closely monitoring the flood situation in the state.
Jalan Raja Fire and Rescue Department station chief Mohd Firdaus Isa said the continuous downpour also caused Sungai Kedah riverbank in Tanjung Chali here to be inundated with water.
Checks showed that the riverbank’s recreational area was flooded with 0.5-metre water and the situation is expected to worsen if the rainfall continues.
Mohd Firdaus said his men had been stationed at the area to monitor the situation and the police had cordoned off the area as a precautionary measure.