The continuous downpour that lasted for over 24 hours over the weekend was equal to the average rainfall for a month, Environment and Water Ministry (KASA) secretary-general Zaini Ujang has said.

Dubbing the calamity as a "one in 100-year" weather event, Zaini said that the phenomenon was brought about by monsoon flow factors, and a low pressure weather system which reached the level of tropical depression.

The system was first detected by the Meteorological department on Dec 12, and it entered Pahang on Dec 16, before moving across the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

This was what caused continuous heavy downpour in almost every state in Peninsular Malaysia, Bernama quoted Zaini telling a press conference yesterday.

According to him, the amount of rainfall recorded on Saturday exceeded the average rainfall level for month, which is "beyond expectation" and occurs only once every 100 years.

The floods wreaked havoc across the Klang Valley over the weekend, leaving thousands of motorists stranded due to congested or flooded roads, and displacing thousands from their homes. In addition, the floods are caused millions of ringgit worth of damage to property and vehicles, among others.

Besides the Klang Valley, states like Pahang, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kelantan, and Perak, also reportedly experienced floods.


Source: Bernama
Photo source: Bernama