Ravaged by floods, Sri Muda residents reluctant to evacuate

In Taman Sri Muda in Shah Alam, many residents are reluctant to leave their homes despite the flood waters that have covered the area for the past four days.

Checks by MalaysiaNow found people emerging from their homes only to obtain food supplies from the nearest relief centre.

A resident who identified himself as Safwan said about half of the people in the area had decided not to leave their homes as they believed the water level would go down soon.

“I have a baby with me, so after two days of being stranded at home, I decided to leave this place with my wife,” he said.

“There have been a lot of boats here, especially yesterday,” he added. “People from the outside are trying their best to get us all out.”

Among those who insist on staying is his mother-in-law, whom he said refused to leave despite the lack of electricity and water supply.

In the end, he allowed her to remain at his house along with the nanny’s family.

Now, all he can do is to wait at the entrance to the residential area of Section 25 along with the authorities who have been mobilised in the vicinity.

He hopes that the remaining residents will eventually agree to leave their homes for the sake of their safety.

“The firemen said to me just now that they might release water from the dam nearby, so a second wave of floods might happen,” he said.

Another resident who spoke to MalaysiaNow said those who chose to stay were afraid that their homes would be broken into in their absence.

The resident also said that it would be easier for them to clean up their homes if they stayed.

But this is not an easy option. Aside from the lack of electricity and clean water, mobile lines have also been disrupted for the past three days.

Some residents were seen leaving their homes to find the nearest place to charge their phones and get a clear line to communicate with their friends and families.

After that, they returned to their homes to wait for the flood waters to recede.

As of 1pm, though, water levels in some places remained at knee height.

Authorities who had been in the area since Saturday said they could not force the residents to leave their homes.

All they can do is hope that more will allow themselves to be evacuated.