The Penang Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia has listed 51 locations across the state as high-risk flash flood hotspots, and daily patrols are now running ahead of the 2026/2027 Northeast Monsoon, Bernama reported. Department director Mohamad Shoki Hamzah said the patrols and continuous monitoring at each site let fire and rescue personnel move quickly when flash floods hit or river levels climb.
Seberang Perai Tengah holds the largest share of the list at 18 locations, followed by Barat Daya with 13, Timur Laut with 10, and six each in Seberang Perai Utara and Seberang Perai Selatan.
On the island, crews are watching Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Patani, Jalan Mahsuri and the Teluk Kumbar area, including Kampung Paya and Kampung Suluk, along with Balik Pulau.
The state list sits inside a national picture of 3,682 flood hotspots, with 25,592 fire and rescue officers and personnel and 1,248 assets on standby, The Star noted. Regional Forward Bases in Penang, Terengganu and Johor have been activated to move people and equipment where they are needed. The department expects the monsoon to run until March, with three to five spells of continuous heavy rain between November and January.
“In Seberang Perai, high-risk areas include Sungai Jawi, Kampung Valdor, Sungai Juru, the area around SP Arena, Sungai Jarak in Tasek Gelugor, and several villages in Bertam, including Kampung Permatang Saga and Kampung Lahar Tiang,” Mohamad Shoki told Bernama.
At least 80 per cent of the department’s personnel will stay on duty at fire stations through the season, with leave applications strictly controlled. Mohamad Shoki said the measure keeps enough crews at each station when the rain sets in.
The department ran a Flood Operation Logistics Testing and Inspection Day at every fire station on Saturday, checking rescue boats, land-based machinery, utility vehicles, personal flotation devices and chainsaws. “Testing is essential to ensure that all assets are in optimal condition and functioning properly,” he said.
Its Water Rescue Team completed intensive refresher training at Pulau Kendi in mid-October, covering diving capability and the evacuation of victims from water.
Penang police chief Datuk Dennis Lim Kwang Keng said the Penang Contingent-level Disaster Operations Response Committee met last Friday to strengthen preparedness across the police force and partner agencies. The meeting covered staffing capacity, asset and logistics readiness, and coordination between agencies. “The discussions also centred on refining disaster response plans, coordinating operational assignments and resource allocation, ensuring readiness for rescue operations, and enhancing communication channels between agencies,” he said.
Both agencies are working to the same monsoon window, with the northeast winds also expected to bring rough seas and rising sea levels in the South China Sea.
