All 12 lifts in the 68-storey building had to be shut down, rendering almost all state offices inaccessible.

Employees had to take the stairs to their offices, according to one staff member who did not wish to be named, while a civil servant told FMT he had to “wade in water”.

An official from the state secretary’s office said the building’s managers, PDC Setia Urus Sdn Bhd, will issue a statement.

According to an internal memo received by Penang civil servants, the cause of the leak was a “technical problem” with a water tank on the 27th floor.

“All lifts had to be brought to a halt until all clean-up works are completed,” the memo from the state secretary’s office read.

A public service announcement by a government agency on Facebook advised people to postpone their appointments.