Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has blamed a development project near Bangsar South for causing the heavy flood that hit Kuala Lumpur yesterday after three hours of heavy downpour.

Wan Junaidi said the lack of retention ponds and debris traps, which should have been prepared by the developers, were the possible causes for the flood.

"It was not the rain that can cause flooding in that area of KL. The capacity of the drainage and culvert could still handle the rain which poured between 1pm and 4pm yesterday," he told a press conference outside Parliament this morning.

Wan Junaidi also noted that the surrounding river had not overflowed. 

"The problems were with the construction site. It should have a retention pond that filters the silt, and allows the rainwater to flow out. It should have a debris trap to trap waste.

"That has not been taken into account by the developer and contractor.

"The mud and debris from the construction along the highway flowed into the drains and clogged the culverts, which could not allow water to flow to river due to clogging, thus the rain water overflowed to the road," he explained.

However, Wan Junaidi added that the authorities have yet to identify any wrongdoing with the development projects.

"I hope Kuala Lumpur City Hall can identify if (the developer) violated the Environment Impact Assessment Order, which makes it compulsory for any sensitive project to adhere to the EIA," he said.

He noted that any development approved before Aug 2015 would not have to comply with EIA, as it was up to the discretion of local authorities at the time.