Remembering the devastating floods in Hulu Langat
10 Nov 2022 10:27am
Image for illustrative purposes only - BERNAMA
Serinomal, affectionately known as "awok” told Bernama, on that day he was engaged in a gotong-royong activity with his friends during a ‘kenduri kahwin’ (wedding feast) at a house in the village.
The incessant rain had bothered one of his friends at the event who kept asking him why the rain kept pouring down.
According to Serinomal, he also felt uneasy about the continuous rain, having some kind of premonition that something bad was going to happen to the village.
His fear became reality when that night, all the surrounding areas in his village were engulfed in floodwaters said to be linked to the headwater phenomenon. The phenomenon refers to the sudden and rapid rise in water volume and velocity in the upper part of a river.
In fact, Serinomal, who was on his way home, was stranded by the roadside and was forced to take shelter at a food shop as the water level had risen.
"After the ‘kenduri kahwin’, I stopped by for a drink at a food shop. It was already 4pm and the rain had not stopped. I waited until 8.30pm and subsequently decided to head for home on my motorbike amid the rain.
"By the time I reached the road leading to my house, I realised that the surrounding area was already inundated with floodwaters, up to my waist. I dare not proceed to my house,” adding that he decided to turn back to the food shop and waited for the water to subside.
Serinomal said as the clock struck one in the morning, he started to leave for home. His house is just a wooden pondok, without any room. The widower with no children and who is staying alone said, all his household belongings including kitchen appliances and bedding items were swept away by the flood.
"I didn’t have much, but whatever little things that I had were all damaged by the flood and what’s left were my clothes that were hung on the clothesline. They were the only ones saved as they were on a higher level, the rest were all gone,” he said adding that the floodwaters had reached his neck, with the walls of his pondok covered in mud.
"I didn’t sleep the whole night. After cleaning up the house, I waited till the next day. There was no way that I could sleep as the floor was still wet, with no pillow or mattress left,” said Serinomal, who earns a living as a vegetable seller.
According to media reports, Batu 22 and Batu 23 of Kampung Sungai Lui in Hulu Langat, are among the the locations worst hit by the Dec 18 floods.
Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari had said, the flood which was caused by a water surge from the surrounding mountains carried piles of rubber and timber up till Batu 14, Sungai Lui and its surrounding areas.
Serinomal said the 2021 flooding was similar to the major flood disaster 50 years ago. When the major floods occurred in 1971, he was in secondary two.
"The memories are still fresh, that time I was only 14 years old and was still in school when the massive flood hit the nation and my village. But there is no doubt that the second flood (2021) was the worst and horrifying. At Kampung Sungai Lui alone, further down (Batu 19 and Batu 18), some houses were damaged and some were dilapidated due to the floodwaters.
"At Batu 20, two houses were dilapidated and completely destroyed near Batu 18 at Kampung Jawa (the house that went viral), and they were washed away by floodwaters, leaving only a concrete staircase. Just imagine if a major flood strikes again,” he said.
To a question, Serinomal said he is not unduly worried if another flooding were to take place based on the current heavy downpour as he is staying alone as compared to those with large families and young children.
"My sympathies go to those with young children as they have to flee to save themselves and to save lives. They are staying at low lying areas,” he said.
Kartini Idris, 49, who resides at Batu 23, Kampung Sungai Lui said she is still traumatised by the devastating floods which engulfed her village last year, noting that she would feel nervous whenever a continuous downpour occurs.
"I am still traumatised by the incident. Whenever it rains, especially non-stop, my heart starts to pound due to anxiety.
"Before this, I wasn’t really bothered as I had not personally experienced a flood situation, as what happened on Dec 18, 2021. But when it really happens, everything goes haywire,” said food vendor Kartini, who sells pisang goreng, cendol, air batu campur and ais kacang, together with her husband.
The mother of two said she is now more cautious and keeps updated of weather warnings issued by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).
Kartini expressed fear that another flood would wash away her home, which is the only shelter she has with her husband and both her children aged 16 and 18.
"What can we do if another major flood takes place. This is the only house that we have, and this is not a double-storey house, where else can we go. All I can do is to save important documents earlier,” she added.
The rain had started to pour during the interview in the afternoon at the stall which is located in front of her house, causing both our clothes to be wet.
Kartini then invited this writer to her house and showed the stains that are still visible on the walls of the house as a result of last year’s floods.
Recalling the dark episode, Kartini said during the incident, she, together with her husband and one of her children were part of a wedding entourage to Kedah.
"On arrival in Kedah, our neighbour in our village called to say that our area back home was already flooded up to the waist, and my house was also affected. Both of us immediately rushed back to Hulu Langat,” she shared.
According to Kartini, during the floods, only her eldest son was in the house and did not manage to save their belongings as he thought that it was not a normal rainfall and didn’t expect the floodwaters to enter the house.
"We immediately packed our luggage and returned to Hulu Langat on that Saturday night. I was worried as my mother in law is also staying near my house, and living alone.
"However, on arriving in Hulu Langat, I could not reach my house as the water level was too high. It was only the next day (Sunday, Dec 19) that my husband and I managed to return to our home.
"We were shocked to find our house was covered entirely with mud, gas cylinder in disarray, sofa heavily soiled, sewing machine as well as laptop, were all damaged.
"Before the flood, my eldest son would work on his laptop and leave it on the floor. All were damaged,” shared Kartini, adding that her mother in law’s house was not badly affected as it was located on higher ground and the water level was ankle-length compared to her house, which was in knee-deep water.
The 2021 disaster also took a toll on Ahmad Erwan Othman, 35, who never imagined that the house that he bought and stayed since 2019 at Taman Casa Lagenda in Hulu Langat would be badly affected by the massive floods.
Taking lessons from the 2021 tragedy, he made early preparations by buying a power bank with a capacity of 80000 mAh, battery-operated fan, and shifted his bed, lightweight furniture as well as foodstuff to the higher floor of his house.
Describing the tragedy in Hulu Langat as well as in the Klang Valley as unforgettable, Erwan admitted that there were times fear would grip him and he was always cautious.
"I was very scared and it was like having anxiety disorder, especially after news reports on floods as well as warnings from MetMalaysia on weather conditions and floods.
"Although my place had not been affected by floods as it is located on higher land, there is still this lingering fear due to my previous experience with floods,” said Erwan, who has just been blessed with his third child last September.
Erwan said during last year’s flooding, he was alone in the house as he was not feeling well after receiving the Covid-19 booster. His wife and children were at the KLCC to take their relatives for sight-seeing.
Erwan, who is a media practitioner said, nearly all his belongings in the house were damaged, with his car and motorcycle submerged in water.
He had to take a bank loan to cover the costs to repair his car, motorcycle and house appliances which were estimated at RM30,000.
Despite the incident, Erwan said he had not decided to move out of his double storey terrace home which he bought for RM489,000.
He expressed hope that the authorities should exercise their responsibility in flood management, noting that flood victims, who had to deal with losing their homes, valuables and their loved ones, also face distress and anxiety over extended periods of time. - BERNAMA
