Screenshots: City floods: Dr Toyo vs DID

More fingers-pointing while folks in Shah Alam, the capital city of Malaysia's first 'Developd State', are being told to brace themselves for another major flood if the Sungai Damansara catchment area were to experience heavy rainfall similar to that two weeks ago.

Last week, according to The Star, Selangor Mentri Besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo criticised the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) for its delay in implementing flood mitigation projects along Sungai Damansara.

Yesterday, DID director-general Keizrul Abdullah laid out the short-term flood mitigation plan and he said more: The problem faced by people in in flood-prone areas such as Taman TTDI Jaya, Kampung Kebun Bunga and Batu Tiga, was due to the over-development around the Sungai Damansara catchment area.

Quote:

The river could not even be widened as most of its reserve had been developed.

“The massive development upstream of Sungai Damansara, Sungai Pencala and Sungai Air Kuning – particularly the Bukit Cerakah and Kota Damansara projects – is causing heavy siltation in the river,” he said.

“Once you have an area heavily developed, the water runoff not only more than double in volume during heavy rain but also in speed.

“The Sungai Damansara catchment area is almost fully developed, except for two green lungs at Taman Pertanian Bukit Cerakah and Taman Botani near Sungai Buloh.

The DID Sec-Gen also disclosed that the walls of the Kota Damansara retention pond which collapsed on Feb 26, the day flash floods hit Shah Alam, had to be strengthened to increase its storage capacity.

For context, read the 'jaw-dropping', untold story ( http://kdwetland.blogspot.com ) about the retention pond, whose failure had contributed to te Feb 26 floods. Part of the land mass reserved for the retention pond is said to have been taken over by Khir Toyo's government for housing development. The startling story was compiled by the Damansara Indah Residents Association.

Pick up the ball, Dr Khir. It's in your court all the time.

http://kdwetland.blogspot.com/

Comments

Similar to road widening practice, widen the river is not enough.
Because of scarce land, you cannot widen the river, keep building (stupid)smart tunnel.

Like conservation, restriction of the flow is the key. No city in the world are same, so if you apply other city drainage system to Klang valley, it is a disaster, because of Klang Valley high rain drops(2500mm/250cm for West Malaysia)

Just look at Kelantan and Trengganu annual flood issue, do you think hundred of drainage will work?

Huge water catachment like smart tunnel is plain stupidity for many reason. It is not a proven system for high rain drops tropical country.

Why not home water catchment system? A small home that can store 100 liters rain water can make a big different to the river flow. Is our municipal councils ready to give incentive/tax rebates for people who install water catchment? Or did they care?

Posted by: moo_t | March 9, 2006 11:21 AM

one man's meat is another's poison...see whether you can spot the CONNECTION with something I dug up on CPO prices vs Floodings...

so after the RM4billion that the national airline _ MAS -- has declared it needs to "turnaorund", and citizen joe/jane thinks the petroleum subsidies savings of RM4.4billion would be siphoned off there, her's some good news...

Maybe Pak Lah can inpose a spevial La Nina tax on Platntation comaines to raise RM4billion more to imrpove transport systems and afcilities? Desi can arse for 30% usual CUT for this brainy ide?

"
GOLDEN HOPE SAYS "LA NINA" MAY PUSH UP CPO PRICES~

Malaysia's crude palm oil (CPO) prices are expected to be boosted from the possible appearance of "La Nina", a weather phenomenon that could curb harvesting activities and output, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Promotion Council CEO Dr YUSOF BASIRON as reported by the NST Feb 25, 2006. He said during La Nina, there could be heavy flooding which prevents workers from collecting the fresh fruit bunches (FFBs). GOLDEN HOPE PLANTATIONS Group CEO SABRI AHMAD said there was a possibly that La Nina could hit Malaysian shores. The country experienced a mild "E
l Nino" in April 2005, and La Nina often occurs after El Nino (extreme drought) which causes ocean water to evaporate and then be showered back onto the earth in heavy volumes. Malaysia has seen exceptionally heavy downpours over the past few weeks (to date Feb 25, 2006) which has also prevented rubber smallholders from going out to tap, causing natural rubber prices to hit above RM7 per kg, its highest in 20 years.
Malaysia's CPO prices have been on a roll in the past few months sustaining at RM1,400 a tonne level mainly due to the robust global demand as an alternative energy source. Industry experts now converged in Kuala Lumpur for the BURSA MALAYSIA's Annual Palm and Lauric Oils Conference and Exhibition, were forecasting that CPO prices could hit EM1,600 a tonne as early as April 2006.
UNITED PLANTATIONS Vice-chairman CARL BEK-NIELSON stated he expected Malaysia's CPO output in 2006 to be more than 15m tonnes, against 14.96m tonnes in 2005 and 13.98m in 2004. He added that the price outlook for this year was RM1,500-RM1,600 a tonne, with an average of RM1,550, and if biodiesel exports from Malaysia kicked in, there would be a price increase." (courtsey of klsetracker.com)

Smile-y fellow Malaysians, not everything is dark and gloomy in NegaraKu!:)

Posted by: desiderata | March 9, 2006 12:49 PM

“Once you have an area heavily developed, the water runoff ..."

Hahaha...Now we see why they claim it to be a "Developed State"

Posted by: LC Teh | March 9, 2006 01:37 PM

soon it is gonna be a developed ESTATE.

Posted by: groo | March 9, 2006 02:19 PM

"Kita semua usah bimbang,semuanya OK dan PM dah tau".

Posted by: teh-o | March 9, 2006 08:22 PM

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