High tide: Residents in Selangor coastal areas told not to panic

KLANG: Residents in coastal areas of Selangor are advised not to panic as the relevant agency has made the necessary preparations for the high tide phenomenon which is expected to occur this weekend.
Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Hamim Samuri said repair works to the bunds and ramparts, which were elevated to prevent water entering the village, was completed by the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) in villages affected by the same phenomenon last month.
DID also provided 21 pumps in the Klang area to suck out the spillover water from the sea, he told reporters after inspecting the repair works on bunds and embankments in Kampung Sungai Serdang and Kampung Tok Muda, Kapar, here today.
The Selangor Disaster Management Committee had forecast rise in sea level to be at its highest of almost 5.7 metres between Oct 16 and 19 causing some coastal areas to be at risk of flooding.
Commenting further on the repairing of the bunds and embankments, Hamim said the ministry had approved an allocation of RM500,000 for the immediate implementation of the work in Kampung Sungai Serdang, Kampung Tok Muda and Kampung Sungai Janggut, Kapar.
Regarding the long term preparation to face the phenomenon, he said, DID estimated a total of RM416 million is needed for the protection of coastal areas for the entire west coast of peninsular Malaysia along approximately 119km. — Bernama