Food operator among hundreds affected by flash floods in JB

JOHOR BAHRU: A trader, who runs a frozen mutton and cake business, suffered financial losses after his house in Kampung Pasir, Tampoi, here, was among those affected by the flash floods that hit the city yesterday.

Mohd Aminuddin Mohd Sarip said his van and refrigerator were damaged after being submerged in water.

He said floodwaters rose rapidly and his house was under 1.5-metre of water in a flash, adding that he and his family did not have time to save their valuables.

"I estimate our losses to be RM1,000 because the fridge and the van used for my barbecued roast lamb catering business were submerged in water.

"The flood this time was totally unexpected and the water rose very fast. When it happened, I was doing some work outside the district and only my mother and siblings were at home. There was nothing I could do when I arrived home," the eldest of seven siblings told Bernama when met at his house today.

He said he had been operating the business on a small scale for the past three years and was fortunate that all the frozen food stored was not affected or damaged.

A Bernama survey found the residents cleaning up their houses and taking their furniture outside.

The flash floods in Kampung Pasir also forced 143 residents to be evacuated to a temporary relief centre.

Kampung Pasir and its network chief, Azmi Misni said water from Sungai Skudai overflowed into the houses at about 2 pm after several hours of heavy rain.

He said about 250 to 300 houses in Kampung Pasir and its network, namely Kampung Pengkalan Rinting, Kampung Seri Jaya, Kampung Seri Jaya Baru, Kampung Seri Serdang, Kampung Seri Serdang Baru and Taman Tampoi Utama, were affected.

"The water rose quickly and, within 20 minutes, was at waist-high level. The residents did not expect it. It can be said that the flood this time is the second worst after the one that hit the country in 2006. That time the water rose up to two metres high," he said.

"We have also asked the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS) to instal an auto pump system so that when the water rises to a certain level, the pump will be triggered... what we have now is a manual pump," he said.

-- BERNAMA