Malaysia, Johor: Flash floods forced over 400 out of their homes

Ahmad Fairuz Othman New Straits Times 20 Sep 17;

JOHOR BARU: Over 400 people were forced to evacuate, when their homes were inundated in waist-deep waters in Kampung Tuah Jaya, Perling after a two-hour downpour that began about 5.30pm yesterday.

The village has about 160 houses that is located on low lying ground near Taman Perling and Sungai Danga. The flash flood receded about one-and-half hours later.

A Civil Defence Force spokesman said that as of 2am, 443 people from 51 families were relocated to temporary flood relief centres at the Hidayatul Muktadhin surau and Kampung Tuah Jaya balai raya.

Housewife Maizah Ahmad, 54, said the heavy downpour lasted for two hours before the water began to rise in her house.

"The heavy rain was beginning to stop, when it started to flood. I could only salvage some of the important items as the water rose quickly.

"It happened so fast. I was alone at home as my husband and my children were away at work.

"I experienced flash flood three years ago, but this time it was worse as the flood water reached my waist," said Maizah, who was staying the night at the balai raya with other residents.

Factory worker Saleha Sidek, 42, said she returned home from work at 11pm to discover her furniture and belongings scattered around the house.

"I saw some my belongings floating in the flood waters. By the time I reached home the flood was receding but all my belongings were either damaged or destroyed," said Saleha.

Johor Health, Environment, Education and Information Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said the heavy rain starting yesterday caused water to flow from nearby housing estates into Kampung Tuah Jaya, which is a low-lying area.

Pulai Member of Parliament service centre secretary Datuk Abd Rashid Kasman, who visited the victims, said that about 120 houses or about 80 per cent of the total homes in the village were affected by the flash flood.

Pengkalan Rinting assemblyman Cheo Yee Haw also posted a video of himself visiting and helping to scoop out water from a house that was inundated.

Meanwhile, netizens posted photos and videos of a flooded carpark at the Aeon Bukit Indah mall and at Jalan Danga Sutra, Taman Nusa Bestari at about 4.30pm yesterday.

However the flood in these two locations receded after about two hours.