Orphanage, tahfiz schools in Hulu Langat village reeling after harrowing flash flood

For residents of Kampung Sungai Semungkis, yesterday's downpour quickly turned into a nightmare as 15 minutes of heavy rain turned the village's main road into a fast-flowing river.

Resident Ab Shukor Ab Kadir has been living there for 18 years and was stunned at the speed with which the waters rose.

"Yesterday, it rained at around at 4.30pm, and within hardly 15 minutes, everything was flooded, maybe about three feet of fast-moving water.

"The road became like a river," he said.

Kampung Sungai Semungkis, a Felcra development is located five kilometres off the main road at Batu 14.5 Hulu Langat.

The river, Sungai Gahal, is also the source of water for local villagers.

Ab Shukor, who is semi-retired, said he suspected the river has been affected by the development of the EKVE highway nearby.

"The project has cut off vegetation and filled the river with soil and silt. Suddenly it fills up and overflows very fast. We are afraid of what might happen at night," he said.

"Easily more than 200 people are affected. It happened so fast, all the equipment like fridges, furniture, carpet and clothes were all swept away."

He added it was fortunate that no one was swept away, as the water was moving very fast.

Junaidi Jamaluddin is secretary of Rumah Anak Yatim Raydha Al-Hijrah, and also volunteers at one of two tahfiz schools that were flooded.

"This is such a bad flash flood, we can't believe it.

"All this started in 2017 due to this project. There is construction around 20 metres from our home. We have complained to the developers, but nothing has been done," he said.

"Now we are living in fear," said Junaidi.

He said that the water was so swift, motorcycles and even a lorry were easily swept away.

"Our water supply is the river itself. Now we can barely even clean up. What happens when it rains again?" he said, adding that residents were pumping flood water to help in the clean-up.

"Who is going to help us if the next flash flood comes at night?" he asked. - Mkini