KenaSaman.com

A 30-MINUTE rain spell can cause a traffic jam in Jalan Tun Razak or any other street in Kuala Lumpur. Despite the wonderful meteorological technology and support, we still have to face the wrath of the rain.

Rather than blame nature for its destructive behaviour, let’s review the plans that are in place for the mitigation of floods.

Every time it floods in Kuala Lumpur, the SMART tunnel comes into discussion. I think one SMART tunnel will not resolve Kuala Lumpur’s flood woes. It’s a collective process which involves all the stakeholders to control and avoid floods in our city.

As a conscientious city dweller, I think we must clean the surroundings without waiting for Alam Flora. This is the right time to organise gotong royongs, especially when the monsoon season is looming.

The critical stakeholders are the local authorities or city councils. They must set up “flood squads” during rainy spells to check on water puddles.

We could have avoided the flood in front of the National Library in Jalan Tun Razak on Dec 13 if the scupper drains and the drain next to the road had been regularly cleaned.

The local authorities should monitor all flood-prone areas seriously and ensure “flood squads” are on 24-hour standby to manage flooded areas.

I witnessed the flood in front of the National Library, where for more than two hours only the poor policeman was on site to manage the traffic.

I did not see a “flood squad” on site to drain or clear the affected area. The local authorities should have mobilised a team armed with the required equipment to arrive on time and act immediately.

This is critical in view of the massive jams that city dwellers go through every time it floods. I wonder what would be the per-head loss for every commuter stuck in traffic whenever there is a flood?

Besides making announcements through the radio and television, it’s imperative for telecommunications companies (telcos) to update every mobile user on the flood status in the city or anywhere.

This will allow city dwellers/commuters to plan their trips into or out of the city.

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