Flooded with haunting memories

Painful memory: Taman Sri Muda was one of the worst-hit areas in the severe flood which displaced about 14,000 people in Selangor last year. – FAIHAN GHANI/The Star.

IT wasn’t how he expected to get home after work one day – swimming across city roads that were flooded with muddy, four-metre high water.

But that’s exactly what happened to S. Rao, a 34-year-old resident from Taman Sri Muda in Shah Alam, one year ago today.

It was the day when a rare and severe flood had occurred – once in 100 years, the authorities have said – that led to over 12 deaths in Selangor and losses amounting to millions of ringgit from businesses and residents.

Taman Sri Muda was one of the worst-hit areas in the incident which displaced about 14,000 people in the state.

Blocked by rising floodwaters on his way home from office in Kuala Lumpur, Rao had no choice but to park his car near some shoplots.

He then swam and walked for about five kilometers to get to his parents who were trapped on the upper floor of his double-storey house.

“It took me six hours to get home – from 4pm to 10pm.

“It was also such bad timing. My parents had actually come to visit me that day from their home near Sunway City,” recalls the assistant manager of the devastating flood.

Admitting that it still traumatises him to this day, Rao says if another incident like that happened again, he would sell his house and move elsewhere.

“Honestly, I wish to remain in Taman Sri Muda as its location is very central and convenient.

“I don’t wish to move out. I just hope there will be measures to fix the flood situation here,” expresses Rao, who lost about RM60,000 in house repairs and damages in the flood.

But with the current wet weather, he is not taking any chances - Rao has shifted all his valuables on the ground floor to the upper floor in case a flood hits.

“The hall on the ground floor is now empty, except for my sofa which is too heavy to move upstairs.

“I began moving things up last month after getting a notification from the Malaysian Meteorological Department about the monsoon season.

“I will probably leave my hall empty until after January when the rainy season stops,” he says.

Assistant manager S. Rao, 34, has moved all his valuables from the ground floor of his home in Taman Sri Muda to the upper floor, as he braces for the possibility of another flood in this rainy season. – S. RAO

Rao shares that his neighbours share the same sentiment of fearing the rain these days.

Some of them have tried to extend their insurance coverage for their homes in case another episode strikes.

“It’s evident that the trauma is still there.

“The residents have a WhatsApp group chat where we alert each other in case of heavy rain.

“Some would park their cars at a multi-storey parking lot during continuous rain.

“So, we don’t have a peaceful life during the wet weather season,” he says.

Similarly, Taman Sri Muda 2 Residents Association (Section 25) chairman Mogan Thangavelu says he worries about the effectiveness of the area’s drainage when it rains.

“Currently, the authorities have provided a manual pump near the Klang river to prevent floods during heavy downpours.

“However, because it is a manual system, an operator needs to be physically present to start the pump.

“The operator assigned to our area does not live close by and has to make his way here to switch it on.

“But by the time he arrives, we can’t be sure if the flood would have already happened or blocked his journey here,” says Mogan, 60, an electrical technician.

Mogan Thangabelu says he worries about the effectiveness of the area’s drainage when it rains.

Likewise with Rao, Mogan, as a father of four, has also moved his valuables to the upper floor of his house.

“I’ve also stored items in boxes so they are easily carried upstairs in case of a flood,” he shares.

Shah Alam resident Stellus Fernandez, a 63-year-old retiree, says he “lives in fear” every time there’s a thunderstorm.

“We monitor the drains, and if there’s flooding, we try to save the cars first by moving them to higher ground.

“Other belongings, especially electrical appliances are placed on the upper floor,” he says.

Fernandez adds that the resident chat group is active and shares information on developments in their neighborhood.

“We are all very cautious when it rains.

“Our biggest fear is another flood incident but we are more careful this time.

“If there are signs of water rising, we will do the required salvaging and move out to higher grounds.

“Hopefully there will be enough time,” he adds.