ALOR SETAR, Nov 22 — Heavy downpour in Kedah since yesterday had caused the water in Sungai Padang Terap, Kuala Nerang to reach the dangerous level of 17.12 metres.
Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada), in a statement today, said this followed the increasing volume of water recorded at several water catchment areas of the river.
“Heavy rain at the Sungai Padang Terap water catchment areas had caused the water at Padang Sanai station to increase by 220mm; Sungai Naka (93mm); Kuala Nerang (68mm); Bukit Sena (55mm) and Sungai Janing (78mm).
“This had caused the Sungai Padang Terap water flow to increase to alert level at 16.53 metres and as at 8 am today, the water has reached a dangerous level at 17.12 metres with the water flow at 188 cubic metres per second,” it said.
The statement added that since yesterday, Mada has taken early measures to channel the excess water through existing irrigation and drainage channels at the Lana Banu irrigation system, central and south systems, as well as through the opening of ‘Pelubang Barrage’ in Kampung Batu and Ampang Jajar.
Meanwhile, Mada said the reservoir at the Ahning Dam today was at 74.5 per cent (with no water release), Pedu Dam (86.4 per cent) (no water release) and Muda Dam with 111 per cent (overflowing since November 14).
On a video of dam overflow which went viral yesterday, Mada said the incident occurred at the Muda Dam in Sik and the water would flow through the Sungai Muda river basin.
It added that Mada would regularly update the Lembangan Sungai Muda Management Office on the latest situation.
Meanwhile, Mada chairman Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman said the water release was at a safe rate and its technical officers were closely monitoring the situation.
“Nearby residents shouldn’t panic because we release the water in a normal condition,” he said when met at the Civil Defence Force flood-preparation simulation programme at Tasik Beris in Sik. — Bernama
