EXTREME WEATHER

EXTREME WEATHER: 150 households in 14 villages in Ulu Yam and Batang Kali affected

Firemen pumping out floodwaters at the junction of Jalan Duta and Jalan Kuching yesterday. Massive jams were reported throughout Kuala Lumpur. menuju pusat bandar. Pic by Rosdan Wahid

 KUALA LUMPUR: THE west coast of the peninsula is expected to see more rainfall but it would not be as intense as yesterday, said the Meteorological Department.

Department director-general Datuk Dr Yap Kok Seng said the southwest monsoon season was expected to begin in the later half of this month and more rainfall was expected in the mornings.

"It is now the inter-monsoon season and the squall line can still be formed at dawn around the Straits of Malacca. This can bring strong winds and heavy rains to west coast states."

The department recorded 183mm of rainfall in Batang Kali and 176mm in Ulu Yam, both in Selangor, from 3am to 9am yesterday, with the downpour being the heaviest between 5am and 6am.

This caused the worst ever flooding in the areas in the past 40 years, causing some 150 households in 14 villages to be hit by flash floods.

Among the areas were Kampung Ulu Kalong, Lorong Haji Nordin, Kampung Ulu Yam Baru, Kampung Batu 30, Ulu Yam Lama, Jalan Kampung Kuantan, Kampung Genting, an animal shelter quarters in Ulu Yam, Kampung Genting Malik, Kampung Masjid, Kampung Tengah, Kampung Sungai Manis, Kampung Sekolah, Kampung Seri Cahaya, Kampung Sentosa and Kampung Sungai Menyorok.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department deputy director of operations Mohd Sani Harul said the flood level rose to 2m at the height of the downpour.

He said Kampung Sungai Menyorok and Kampung Genting Malik were the worst hit. He said 47 residents, including a man in his 70s and a 7-year-old, were rescued after they were trapped in their homes for two hours.

"We had to turn a nearby bus terminal into our base. Five rescue boats were used to save those trapped. Several residents were evacuated to the nearest police stations."

The rescue teams comprised firemen, police and men from the Civil Defence Department, Rela and Health Ministry.

Most of the residents returned to their homes later in the day to clean up despite being advised by the authorities not to go back yet.

A victim, Isa Mustapha 47, said he thought he was dreaming when he woke up to see his bed surrounded by water at 4.30am.

"I immediately woke my wife and children up.

"We wanted to save our car and electrical appliances but it was too late as the water level was already up to our waists."

Another victim, 59-year-old Nuriah Mohd, said strong river currents brought down her house walls.

"The walls just collapsed and drifted away in the current. Given that our house is near Sungai Batang Kali, it took only several minutes into the downpour for our home to be flooded.

"My three children, two grandchildren and I had to climb onto the roof using a ladder to save ourselves. It was around 8am when the water started to subside."

No fatalities were reported.

The downpour hit Kuala Lumpur about 2am, lasting several hours. It caused widespread traffic jams.

Among the areas affected were Batu 101/2, Lorong Tok Mano, Gombak, Jalan Kuching heading into the city and the DUKE highway from Gombak to Petaling Jaya.

Reports of floods and damage caused by strong winds were also reported in Klang, Tanjung Minyak in Malacca and in Alor Star. Additional reporting by G. Surach, Fariza Uzmat and Hanis Maketab

New Straits Times 8 May 2012