Over 1,000 Kuala Terengganu residents traumatised by floods

KUALA TERENGGANU 09 DEC 2016: Residents of three housing estate here (Taman Dalya, phase 1 and 2 of Taman Alamanda and Taman Sri Intan) checking on the monsoon drain after they had faced two counts of flash floods measuring upto 0.5m in their homes.zabidi tusin/the star/kuala terengganu/

KUALA TERENGGANU: Some 1,100 residents in three housing estates here are having sleepless nights as a result of worries of floods caused by the downpour and monsoon season.

Over the past 10 days, 300 residents of Taman Dalya, 500 in phase 1 and 2 of Taman Alamanda and 300 in Taman Sri Intan faced two flash floods measuring up to 0.5m in their homes.

It had been some eight years ago since they last experienced floods.

“We are left dumbfounded that floods still happen after a huge monsoon drain was built. And there weren’t any floods in the past eight years before it was built,” said retired government employee Norzaidi Mohamed, 56, a resident of Taman Dalya.

“I believe that in the past years, we have also seen an extraordinary amount of rainfall but no flash floods.

“There must be some other reasons for the recent ones,” she said.

The floods had damaged 10 cars, home electrical appliances and furniture.

Another pensioner, Shahrom Dayal, 65, was also having sleepless nights after the two flash floods.

“My disabled wife and I were fast asleep during the latest flood on Thursday when water rose quickly and entered the house at about 3am.

“We were quite lucky that a neighbour woke us up and I made sure my wife was safe before moving my car to a safer spot,” he said.

He hoped the state government would look into the matter and direct agencies such as the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS) and Kuala Terengganu City Council (MBKT) to clear the drainage system and ensure water flows properly.

Jalan Sultan Omar Rukun Tetangga chairman Badrol Hisham Zaki said the floods had left many of the residents traumatised and many were afraid to leave their homes.

“I call on the respective agencies to take short-term and long-term proactive measures to stop the problem from recurring.

“We have formed a special team, comprising young residents of Jalan Tekukur, to help raise the alarm and help victims move their belongings in case of another flood,” he added.