GEORGE TOWN, Nov 21 — Hit with three flash floods since 2017, the Penang International Airport (PIA) desperately needs an expansion plan to prevent future recurrences, state executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari said today.
The infrastructure and transport committee chairman told the state legislative assembly that the expansion of the PIA will involve studies on the drainage and irrigation system in the airport to prevent flash floods.
“The Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad and Transport Ministry are working together with all government agencies and stakeholders to produce a sustainable design for the airport that can prevent occurrences of flash floods,” he said in reply to a question by Mohd Yusni Mat Piah (PAS-Penaga) at the state legislative assembly this morning.
Zairil said the PIA was hit with flash floods on October 28 in 2018, September 3 in 2019 and September 24 this year, citing from MAHB records.
No flights were disrupted due to the flash floods in the airport as it involved only a portion of the terminal, he added.
He said MAHB had built two on-site detention (OSD) tanks at the site in 2015 which acts as a buffer to retain surface run-off whenever it rains.
“The OSD has prevented floods in the terminal since then,” he said.
He said MAHB has also upgraded the pump system and raised the floor level of the terminal building in 2018.
“This has proven effective as after this project was implemented, the area was not flooded after heavy rain,” he said.
Additionally, MAHB has also built another OSD tank, along with the multi-storey carpark, in 2019 and the project completed in September this year.
“MAHB is now planning a rainwater drainage system and they are in the process of designing the system and expected to be in use in the first quarter of 2023,” he said.
As for long term plans, he said MAHB is now in the process of formulating a larger OSD tank to support high intensity rainfall.
“This plan will be included in the National Airport Master Plan for PIA that is being prepared by MAHB,” he said.
