Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 made headlines yesterday after parts of the building began leaking during a heavy storm, shocking travellers and forcing airport staff to take quick action.
The leak happened as a powerful downpour hit the area, with videos of the incident spreading online and sparking concern over the condition of the building.
Some netizens even joked that the leaking water made KLIA look like a “low-budget version” of Singapore Changi Airport’s famous Jewel Rain Vortex.
Full-on waterfall
A RED (小红书) user, Kyeli, who claimed to be in the “rockzone”, shared that the leakage occurred around 4 pm yesterday (Nov 14).
It looked like one of the glass panels on the roof might have shattered, and the leak slowly turned into a full-on waterfall.”
She added that the scene was honestly quite chaotic, but thankfully, airport staff quickly moved in to control the crowd and started manually sweeping the water away.
In some clips, the staff were also seen placing caution signs and guiding passengers away from affected areas as water dripped from the ceiling.
The affected area was between the K and L check-in counters, apparently used by Singapore Airlines and a Chinese airline”
Meanwhile, some videos online show that some areas in the arrival hall were also affected.
Watch the video here.
Blocked roof drain caused by the contractor’s oversight
According to Kosmo!, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) later issued a statement explaining that the leak was caused by contractor negligence during ongoing roof repair and waterproofing works.
The contractors were claimed to be in the middle of sealing the roof drainage channel when lightning activity intensified around KLIA.
As per safety protocol, all personnel were ordered to stop work and immediately evacuate the rooftop.
However, in their rush to leave due to the worsening weather, the contractor failed to remove temporary plywood that had been used to cover the drainage channel during the repair works.
This oversight caused one of the drainage systems to become blocked. When the unusually heavy rain hit shortly after, water pooled on the roof with no outlet, leading to pressure buildup and a significant leak through the terminal ceiling.
Area secured within 90 minutes
MAHB said its engineering, operations, and safety teams managed to clean and secure the area within an hour and a half, after which airport operations returned to normal.
The operator described the contractor’s mistake as “unacceptable negligence”, adding that it fell below the standards required for critical airport infrastructure.
MAHB confirmed that strict action is being taken against the contractor involved.
MAHB tightens work procedures
Following the incident, MAHB said it will strengthen its work protocols, including:
• Mandatory weather checks before starting rooftop works
• Better contingency plans when work is paused due to bad weather
• Stricter oversight on temporary sealing and safety materials
The KLIA roof rehabilitation is part of a year-long project that began in April 2025 under MAHB’s infrastructure renewal programme.
**Special thanks to Kyeli for sharing the video.
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