SUBANG: A man had to carry his elderly parents to safety after flash floods hit Kampung Melayu Subang oday, with floodwaters rising rapidly to waist level.
Zulkarnain Hashim, 46, said he carried his 90-year-old mother and 89-year-old father to higher ground as the water surged.
He said there was a heavy downpour from 2 pm to 4 pm, before water levels rose abruptly to waist level by 5pm.
“It was complete chaos when the water rose so quickly. I had to carry both my mother and father to get them to safety.
“This is not the first time. The flood problem has persisted since 1995, and this year alone our area has been flooded three times,” he told Bernama.
Zulkarnain also claimed the neighbourhood’s flood warning siren did not sound during the incident, raising questions about the effectiveness of the early warning system
Meanwhile, a 24-year-old mother faced an anxious ordeal getting her two children, including her four-month-old baby, out of their home as floodwaters began rising.
Nur Atilia Elina Rosli said her husband, Ahmad Nawi Yaman, 27, was at work when the water started rising around 3.20pm, just as their baby woke from a nap.
She acted swiftly to move the baby and their three-year-old child out of the house.
“It was chaotic because I have a baby. When we left, the water was already knee-deep. I had to wade through the water carrying my children to reach a house on higher ground.
“This is the worst flood we have experienced so far. The water reached chest level,” she said when met at the temporary relief centre at Dewan Siantan, Kampung Melayu Subang.
Earlier, three victims, including a disabled elderly man and an infant, were evacuated to the relief centre following the afternoon deluge.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Ashrul Riezal Asbar said the department received an emergency call at 5.18pm, and a fire engine from the Bukit Jelutong Fire and Rescue Station arrived at the scene at 5.33 pm.
He said the flash flood affected about 92 houses across four roads, namely Lorong Merbau (30 houses), Jalan Cengal (seven), Jalan Resak (five), and Jalan Jati (50).