Flash flood hits Johor Bahru, hundreds of vehicles stranded

 

Parts of the Sultanah Aminah Hospital were among several areas in Johor Bahru hit by flash floods after a heavy downpour which lasted over an hour this afternoon.

More than 500 vehicles were submerged or destroyed in the floodwaters, reported Astro Awani.

Other affected areas include Jalan Yahya Awal, Jalan Ayer Molek, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Jalan Mahmoodiah, Jalan Kolam Ayer, and Kampung Mohd Amin.

It was also reported that water levels rose up to waist-height at Kampung Muhamad Amin and Kampung Nong Chik.

Taking to social media, internet users lamented that several cars parked at the hospital compound and open-air car parks at Menara Tabung Haji and Wisma Persekutuan Johor Bahru were now stranded or damaged.

Rahman Abdullah, a 60-year-old who went to the city to run errands with his family members, was stranded in heavy traffic congestion. He said the rain started at noon.

"We are lucky because vehicles can still move slowly on Jalan Wong Ah Fook even though the road is flooded. We have learned that the routes on Jalan Yahya Awal and Jalan Ayer Molek were affected by the flood," he was quoted as saying by Harian Metro.

In a statement today, a spokesperson for the Malaysian Civil Defence Force confirmed receiving reports related to flash floods in several areas in Johor Bahru.

Meanwhile, Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced that the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) was pumping water out of the flood-hit areas.

"The DID will further improve this pumping system to accommodate higher water capacity," he said on social media today after visiting Sultanah Aminah Hospital and Wisma Persekutuan.

"I understand that today's heavy rain is unusual as the rainfall almost reached 100mm compared to the normal level of 20mm," he said.

"The tide level is also quite high which is around 1.15m and the rainwater cannot flow into the sea," he said. - Mkini