Bigger pumps deployed to tackle flooding in Kampung Melayu Subang

The Selangor irrigation and drainage department has installed additional pumps and upgraded existing ones at Jalan Resak and Desa Subang Perantau in Kampung Melayu Subang, the worst flood-hit areas in the Klang Valley recently.

The department said the existing pump at Jalan Resak had been replaced with a new, higher-capacity unit, while the original pump had been relocated to Desa Subang Perantau, giving the latter area two pumps to help discharge water into Sungai Pelempas, Berita Harian reported.

“An assessment following the floods on Nov 2 and Nov 4, when rainfall exceeded 100mm, found that a higher-capacity pump was needed at Jalan Resak.

“This is mainly because internal drainage flows into a pond at Jalan Resak before being channelled into Sungai Pelempas. As such, we replaced the pump at Jalan Resak with a new unit with a capacity of 280 litres per second (l/s).

“Desa Subang Perantau (Jalan Ikhlas), which is located downstream, requires more high-capacity pumps due to the higher risk of backwater overflow from the Kampung Baru Subang Bridge in the area,” the department said in a statement.

The move is a short-term mitigation measure to drain internal runoff and river overflow, should it occur, pending the implementation of the Sungai Pelempas project.

The project entails the raising of low-lying sections of the Sungai Pelempas riverbank or bund by 0.5m to 1m to prevent overflow during heavy rainfall.

The department attributed the slow receding of floodwaters in both areas to heavy rainfall, with Jalan Resak recording 116.5mm on Nov 2 and Desa Subang Perantau receiving 91.5mm on Nov 4.

“The high water level in Sungai Pelempas makes it difficult for water from internal drainage systems to flow into the river. Hence, we have provided pumps to facilitate this process.

“In addition, the affected areas are low-lying, with limited and poorly organised internal drainage systems,” the department said.

Other initiatives

The department said its planned short-term measures included upgrading the pump capacity at Jalan Resak from 140 l/s to 280 l/s, while providing a 280 l/s pump at Jalan Ikhlas.

It has also installed flap gates at drainage outlets leading into the river from internal drains and ditches within privately owned lots that could potentially allow river water to flow back into the internal drainage system.

“We have also identified locations for the urgent construction of floodwalls in areas affected by overflow from Sungai Pelumut, as well as potential sites for retention ponds and river widening along Sungai Pelempas.

“Through the Sungai Damansara flood mitigation project, the department will also widen and deepen the downstream stretch of Sungai Damansara and remove obstructions from the river,” it said.

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