Nightmare for Ipoh folk as flash floods hit again

IPOH: It was a nightmare for residents of the Chepor structured village scheme (RPT) after a downpour led to the worst flash floods in years, forcing them to escape with just their important documents.

A total of 98 people from 33 families were evacuated to a relief centre set up at the SK Sri Klebang near here.

A villager, Ismail Husin, 72, said he was in his house with his wife when he saw the water level rising at about 8pm on Tuesday.

“I quickly carried whatever I could upstairs and made a dash with only the important documents. I don’t know how badly my house is damaged,” he said at the centre, adding that the water was almost at knee-level.

Bank employee Mohamed Redwan, 35, said he rushed home when his mother called to say that the water level was rising.

“When I got near my housing area, it was impassable and I had to leave my car as the area was flooded.

Shaari Sharuddin, 49, wading through his home as he assesses the damage. — Bernama

“I told my mother to grab whatever was important before we headed to the centre,” he said.

He added that usually flash floods at the area were not as bad as this.

Many of the residents were still at the centre yesterday as the water receded slowly.

Over at Taman Suria, near Jalan Kuala Kangsar, residents say they now start to worry whenever storm clouds gather.

The area is also prone to flash floods.

Taman Suria Residents Association secretary Renita Rhea Ashwin Simon, 35, said it started to rain heavily from Tuesday evening.

“Within 30 minutes, part of Taman Suria Satu, which is near a retention pond, started to flood,“ she said.

Renita said that during the floods last November, residents were badly affected when water rose up to waist level, damaging furniture, electronic and electrical items.

“The authorities fixed the floodgate then. We did not encounter a flash flood until Tuesday,” she said, adding that the water subsided at about 2.30am yesterday.