KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — Abnormal downpour caused by climate change has rendered Penang’s current flood mitigation system obsolete and in need of a major revamp, a minister said today after major floods hit the state over the weekend.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the state’s existing drainage system could not cope with rapid development taking place within the state, especially on the island, as land scarcity makes it harder to improve sewerage, like building a reservoir.

“Penang’s flood problem is unique from other states like Kelantan, Terengganu and so on because it is an island,” Wan Junaidi told a press conference held after a quick briefing with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage.

“When the water level goes up and you’re surrounded by the sea, where do you drain the water to?

“Some possible solutions may be to build a barrage in the sea or a reservoir for storm water...but because Penang has no large land to build it, they might have to make it deeper underground,” the Santubong MP said, referring to the island half of the state.

Over half of Penang was submerged in flood waters following heavy downpour that averaged more than 250mm in just 24 hours. That amounts to 60mm of heavy rain an hour, according to official data.

Yesterday, state Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng admitted that Penang’s flood mitigation system was outdated.

Penang’s sewerage and irrigation system is two to three decades old and was planned without anticipating the effects of climate change, according to Wan Junaidi.

“And when you factor in development… the more the land is leveled and cemented, the easier it is for rain water to pile up,” the minister said.

But under-capacity sewerage and irrigation is not a problem faced by Penang, the flood mitigation systems in all major cities in the country were to some extent outdated, the Wan Junaidi added.

Last year the federal government announced the RM150 million Sungai Pinang Basin Flood Mitigation Project, which Wan Junaidi said will help reduce Penang’s flood problems.

But the project will only start in January, 2018, and is expected to be completed in two years.

In the meantime, the Meteorological Department forecasts more heavy rain for Penang and other northwest states until the monsoon shifts to the east in December.

Wan Junaidi said the Penang government can “play its role” to prevent floods by using its Budget surplus to address the problem.

“Penang has to play its role… find a way to develop a good flood mitigation system. If you have a surplus, use it to address the floods,” he said.

Lim tabled a RM1.45 billion budget for 2017 with a deficit of RM667 million, his sixth consecutive deficit budget since 2011 although he said the state expects a surplus at year-end of 2016.

It has yet to table Budget 2018.