Tough task: Kedah Civil Defence Force personnel carrying out rescue work and helping relocate flood victims in Baling.
ALOR SETAR: A combination of unexpectedly heavy rains and high tides are key factors to the recurring floods in Kedah, that have displaced thousands and damaged rice crops.
The almost daily downpours have come alongside extreme high tides that hinder river flow, said state public works, natural resources, water supply, water resources and environment exco Mohamad Yusoff @ Munir Zakaria.
“The floods have been the worst the state has experienced since 2010.”
He said the number of evacuees remained in the thousands.
“While the numbers are going down, heavy rain and flooding persist in multiple areas,” he said.
Mohamad Yusoff said that while the state has carried out small-scale mitigation projects, larger efforts are required to address this level of flooding
“Right now, six projects worth RM512mil are being carried out.
“There are another six projects in the procurement and design stages worth RM309mil,” he said.
Mohamad Yusoff said the state had applied for another eight projects amounting to RM898mil under the fifth Rolling Plan (RP5) of the 12th Malaysia Plan.
“The projects that are underway are slated to be completed between next October and January 2029.
“We hope these will resolve our flood problems,” he said.
Muda Agricultural Development Authority chairman Datuk Dr Ismail Salleh said padi farmers are struggling financially to start the next planting season, having lost the previous harvest to the floods.
“A census is being conducted to assess the losses and determine the aid required, which will vary depending on land size and the stage of crop growth at the time of the floods,” he said.
But the data collection, Ismail said, would take a few months and in the meantime, the farmers do not have the financial means to restart planting for the next season.
“We (Mada) have reached out to the Federal Government for aid to start the re-planting,” he said.
Some 3,000 padi farmers were affected by the floods with 6,000ha of crops destroyed in the bad weather that has persisted for over a month.
