RESIDENTS RECALL '2021 NIGHTMARE' AS FLOOD HITS TAMAN SAUJANA AMAN

‎SUNGAI BULOH, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- The ‘nightmare of 2021’ has returned — that was the reaction of residents in Taman Saujana Aman here after the housing area, home to nearly 700 people, was inundated following continuous heavy rain in Selangor.

Private-sector employee Norjulia Mohmad Sukor, 44, she and her husband had left home at 7 am today for work, but during the journey she felt uneasy, and asked her husband to turn back.

Norjulia, who also works part-time as a kuih maker, said her instincts proved right when the river began overflowing and slowly entered her house at around 9 am, before eventually filling almost the entire interior.

“Water first entered through the kitchen and by about 11 it had risen to the living room, but before that I managed to fold up the carpets and save my kuih-making supplies.

“This flood is almost the same as in 2021, except this time we were more prepared — when we turned back home, we moved the car to safety. Back then the car was completely submerged, but this time my children’s two motorcycles could not be saved,” she said when met at the relief centre at SK Desa Aman today.

Another resident, Muhammad Fathi Mohamed Yudin, 32, estimated his losses to exceed RM10,000 as he only managed to save smaller items such as the television, while other electrical appliances like the washing machine and refrigerator were submerged.

“It had risen before, but only to ankle level. This is the second worst (exprience). When I left the house at noon today, the water was already at waist level,” said Muhammad Fathi, who has lived in the area since 2020.

Meanwhile, Bestari Jaya Fire and Rescue Station Senior Fire Officer II M. Kirushnan said that the water had begun to recede early tonight, but firefighters remained on standby for any eventuality.

He also advised affected residents to follow instructions issued from time to time, especially by the authorities, to avoid any untoward incidents.

According to the Social Welfare Department’s (JKM) infobencana portal, the Desa Aman relief centre recorded the highest number of evacuees at 863 individuals from 205 families as of tonight.

-- BERNAMA