Johor Bahru hit by worst flash floods in 10 years

JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 2 (Bernama) -- A heavy downpour caused flash floods described as one of the worst to hit the city here today.

According to videos shared by members of the public on Facebook, among the major roads flooded were Jalan Ayer Molek, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Jalan Kolam Air and Jalan Yahya Awal.

About 500 vehicles were submerged in the flood waters.

The Jalan Ayer Molek and Hospital Sultanah Aminah parking lots and Kampung Baru Mohd Amin were among the areas flooded but there was no evacuation.

The heavy rain started at 12.30 pm and checks by Bernama showed that flood waters fully subsided at about 2.30 pm.

Many vehicle owners were seen inspecting the damage to their cars which were submerged in water, with some forced to be towed away.

Private sector worker Aliyas Said, 46, who parked his car in Jalan Ayer Molek, said the flood was the worst in 10 years, with water reaching his car bonnet level.

“The rain was very heavy and cars were submerged in water. I had to wait for the rain to subside before asking my friends to help me push the car,” said Aliyas, who works in a nearby building.

S. Durghs, 28, said she was shocked to learn that the parking lot was flooded.

“I parked my car there in the morning and was outside when I received a message that the parking lot has been flooded almost to the waist level. This is the first time water entered my car,” she said.

Johor Bahru Mayor Datuk Mohd Noorazam Osman said the floods were caused by a heavy rainfall with an intensity of almost 100 milimetres (mm) starting from 1.40 pm and high tide of 3.3 metres at 1.55 pm.

He said a reading exceeding 60mm in rainfall intensity was considered as very heavy (red level).

He said in anticipation of the high tide today, the Sungai Segget water gate was closed at 10.51 am, which was three hours before the high tide, while the pump and tidal valve systems at the Sungai Chat, Parit Utama Abdul Samad and Sungai Ayer Molek river mouths were functioning well at the time of the incident.

"The Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) has taken immediate actions including going to the site during heavy rain to ensure the main pumps were functioning well and to monitor the areas hit by flash floods.

"MBJB has issued the Act 33 Land Work Warning Notice to three developers for failure to control land development works in MBJB areas and for causing today’s flash floods,” he said in a statement.

-- BERNAMA