Kuala Lumpur, July 18 — Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim today said new flood mitigation measures have helped the capital city avoid flash floods despite extraordinary amounts of rain that occurred on three occasions after the previous April 25 floods.
In Parliament, the minister said that the flood-mitigation measures included immediate, short-term, medium-term and long-term plans, which largely involve the Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL).
“Immediate actions taken at flash flood points include upgrading scupper drains, silt digging works, as well as maintenance works on flood retention ponds, rivers and main drainage ditches.
“Other than that, sandbags have been placed at low-level areas to stop water from overflowing.
“We have also increased supervision and dispersion of traffic at flash flood hotspots, by placing machinery, officers and over 100 Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL) traffic wardens,” he said, adding that there were currently 31 such hotspots identified.
Other measures Shahidan spoke about included the declaration of four trash-free zones in the city — Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Raja, Little India in Brickfields, and Jalan Tungku Abdul Rahman — with more to be announced soon.
He also said that there were plans in motion to build flap gates along the Klang River that flows through Kuala Lumpur.
Shahidan was replying to a question from Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun, who asked the minister to state the short and long term plans that would help Kuala Lumpur be free of floods, including flash floods.
