Roof leak turns KLIA departure hall into ‘waterfall’, netizens compare it to Jewel Changi’s Rain Vortex

Water cascades into KLIA departure hall on 14 Nov

On Friday (14 Nov) afternoon, a heavy storm hit Malaysia, causing water to leak at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

Some netizens have since joked that the ‘waterfall’ resembled the Rain Vortex in Jewel Changi Airport.

Investigations found that the incident was caused by a contractor’s error during repairs and waterproofing works.

Netizens compare KLIA roof leak to Rain Vortex in Jewel Changi Airport

A video circulating on Reddit showed water cascading from the roof at KLIA.

An airport staff member was also seen driving what appears to be a floor scrubber.

Many netizens couldn’t help but crack jokes about the leakage.

“Changi Airport has its competitor now,” one commenter wrote while attaching a photo of the iconic Rain Vortex. Several others echoed similar sentiments.

One user even said they assumed it was part of KLIA’s renovations until they saw the cleaner on the scrubber.

” I thought we renovated and redesigned to look like Singapore’s. Then I saw the cleaning worker driving around his toy,” they wrote.

However, some lamented the state of disrepair the Malaysian airport seemed to be in.

“The airport is around 30 years old. Needs a lot of maintenance. MAHB better pick up their slack,” one user said.

Water leak caused by contractor’s error

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) later issued a statement addressing the situation.

According to the statement, the incident occurred at about 4.14pm at KLIA Terminal 1.

“Water in the affected sections was cleared within 1.5 hours, and check-in counters K and L have reopened after critical systems in the area were assessed and deemed safe for use,” it said.

In a subsequent statement, MAHB explained that the water leakage resulted from an error during ongoing roof repair and waterproofing works.

A contractor had been sealing and covering drainage channels on the rooftop when lightning activity in the area intensified.

Following safety protocols, work was suspended and the workers were evacuated.

In their haste, however, the contractor neglected to remove plywood boards covering the drainage channels, which blocked one of the roof’s drainage systems.

With rainwater unable to drain, it accumulated on the rooftop and eventually seeped through the ceiling.