Rain and floods damage 850 homes in Penang

Heavy rainfall and rising floods since yesterday have caused a host of problems in Penang, including damaging 850 homes, fallen trees and landslides.

Deputy Chief Minister I Rashid Hasnon (right) said during the incident 33 individuals from nine families were transferred to a relief centre in Air Teluk Kumbar, where their daily needs - food, accommodation, clothes and blankets - were provided by the Social Welfare Department.

In Pulau Betong, 20 families were shifted to a mosque, while the Village Development and Security Committees (JKKKs) spent RM9,000 (Teluk Kumbar), RM600 (Pulau Betong) and RM1,000 in Permatang Tengah for various provisions, including packed meals.

“The JKKKs are requested to claim the monies spent from my office allocation,” said Rashid in a press conference today.

Houses damaged included 167 units in Bayan Lepas, 28 in Batu Maung, two in Teluk Bahang and 188 in Pulau Betong.

Due to the rising waters, villagers are also in fear of snake bites.

In Pulau Betong, a 61-year old senior citizen, Aisyah Hashim, was bitten by a snake outside her home and is currently seeking treatment at the Penang General Hospital.

In another incident on the same day, a tree fell into a house in Pekan Sungai Pinang, causing damage worth RM5,000. The amount, with an additional RM500, funded by the Penang Governor’s Trust Fund, will be provided to the victim.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng handed out incentives worth RM61,700 to Penang athletes who performed well in the recent Sukan Malaysia XVI event in Kuala Lumpur.

Lim congratulated the Penang team for gaining eight gold, 19 silver and 21 bronze medals, adding that they would be given a 50 percent increase in incentives this year for their excellent performance.

“Today, I fulfil the promises we made to the athletics to add 50 percent to the incentives we normally give them.

“We are handing out RM61,700, a 50 percent increase to the RM123,000 which we gave out in July,” he said in the presence of the athletics and some of their accompanying parents in his office at Komtar today.