Residents in Klang housing estates fear of flash floods - The Star

April 21, 2008 by Christina Tan

RESIDENTS in part of Taman Mesra and Taman Klang Indah in Kampung Jawa, Klang, have been having sleepless night lately. Every time it rains, they worry that their homes will be hit by flash floods.

Administration officer S. Mages-wari of Taman Klang Indah said water from the drains would overflow into her house during heavy rain.

“The situation turned from bad to worse last year when more new projects came up in the neighbourhood. It will flood even after half an hour of rain.

“My neighbours have lodged complaints to the local authorities to deepen and clear the clogged drains, but we don’t see any improvement,” she said.

Mageswari said they could not sleep when it rains at night afraid that her house would be flooded.

What a mess: Dr Siti Mariah taking a closer look at a clogged drain near the sewerage treatment plant in Taman Mesra.

Zainap Ibrahim, a housewife from Taman Mesra next to Taman Klang Indah, said her family and neighbours were facing similar problems.

“I moved into the terrace house here in 2004 and flash floods have always been the problem for us.

“I have lodged numerous complaints to the local council to clear the drain, but nothing has been done,” she said.

Zainap said the situation worsened when the sewerage treatment plant opposite her house released the water into the drain.

“Water comes into the house although it is not raining.

“We are worry for our children’s health, all my three children have skin problems since we moved here and we hope the authorities will do something about it,” she said, adding the water from the sewerage plant also caused stinking smell.

Zainap added that her youngest five-year-old child was admitted into the hospital twice for suspected dengue.

“My son was lucky because it was not dengue, but we are just afraid it maybe the case one day because the water in the drain is stagnant,” she said.

Kota Raja MP Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud, during a visit to the two housing areas recently, said she had asked the Klang Municipal Council to clear the drainage in one week.

Dr Mariah said she was surprised to hear that the drains were still clogged even though the residents had made so many complains to the local authorities.