ALOR STAR: More than 5,000ha of padi fields under the Muda Agriculture Development Authority's (Mada) purview in Kedah and Perlis have been affected by floods since Monday.

Mada said based on a survey, about 26.6 per cent of padi fields in the harvesting stage have been affected by the floods.

"The Submerged Padi Survey Report up to Sept 19, 2024, recorded that a total of 5,388.63ha of the padi fields in the Mada area are affected," the agency said in a statement today.

"The affected areas are Perlis Zone 1 at 20ha; Jitra Zone II at 1,525.6ha; Pendang Zone III at 2,206.7ha; and, Kota Sarang Semut Zone IV at 1,636.33ha."

Mada said it would carry out a full survey on damage to the crop at the area level once the floods subsided.

The agency under the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry said about 68 per cent of more than 100,000 padi fields in Mada areas were in the harvesting stage.

Of the total, Mada said, about 26.6 per cent of the crop harvesting activity was expected to be affected by floods.

It said the average rainfall in the padi field areas between Sept 12 to 17 was recorded at 66mm, which is categorised as extremely heavy.

"A survey by Mada showed that the water current flowing from rivers to the sea is being slowed down by the high-tide phenomenon, which began yesterday and will last until Saturday."

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/09/1107864/5000ha-mada-padi-fields-kedah-perlis-affected-floods