BATU GAJAH: The Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) will decide on the best steps to overcome flooding that hit Arena Kepayang Putra, Fair Park near Ipoh, which was inundated by 1.5 metres of water on Sunday (December 1).

Its minister, Nga Kor Ming said they were waiting for the full report on the incident and will study the issue carefully to ensure that it does not recur.

“Previously it hasn’t happened like this but I’ve instructed the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and the Ipoh City Council to obtain a full report on the cause of the incident so that preventive measures can be taken.

“If we consider things, the extraordinary rainfall that exceeded 13 hours since last night is among the causes and I urge the public to take preventive measures due to the current climate change,” he said at a media conference after attending a DAP fundraiser near here on Sunday .

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Nga, the Kepayang assemblyman, described the flooding as something unexpected as residents faced floods for the first time in 28 years.

Local fire and rescue officials had been quoted in earlier media reports as saying that over 114 flood victims were evacuated as of 5.30 pm.

As of 8 pm, there are currently 130 evacuees from 36 families at 10 relief centres in the districts of Hilir Perak, Kinta, Kampar, as well as Larut, Matang and Selama.