Johor Bahru hit by worst flash floods in 10 years

A heavy downpour caused flash floods described as some of the worst to hit Johor Bahru yesterday.

According to videos shared by members of the public on Facebook, among the major roads flooded were Jalan Ayer Molek, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Jalan Kolam Air and Jalan Yahya Awal.

About 500 vehicles were submerged in the flood waters.

The Jalan Ayer Molek and Hospital Sultanah Aminah parking lots and Kampung Baru Mohd Amin were among the flooded areas although there were no evacuations.

The heavy rain started at 12.30pm. Checks by Bernama showed that the flood waters had fully subsided at about 2.30pm.

Many vehicle owners were seen inspecting the damage to their cars which were submerged in water, with some forced to be towed away.

Private sector worker Aliyas Said, 46, who parked his car in Jalan Ayer Molek, said the flood was the worst in 10 years, with the water reaching his car bonnet level.

"The rain was very heavy and the cars were submerged in water. I had to wait for the rain to subside before asking my friends to help me push the car," said Aliyas.

S Durghs, 28, said she was shocked to learn that the parking lot was flooded.

"I parked my car there in the morning and was outside when I received a message that the parking lot had been flooded almost to the waist level. This is the first time water entered my car," she said.

Johor Bahru mayor Mohd Noorazam Osman said the floods were caused by a heavy rainfall with an intensity of almost 100mm, starting from 1.40pm with a high tide of 3.3m at 1.55pm.

He said a reading exceeding 60mm in rainfall intensity – also known as the red level – was considered very heavy.

He said in anticipation of the high tide yesterday, the Sungai Segget water gate was closed at 10.51am, three hours before the high tide, while the pump and tidal valve systems at the Sungai Chat, Parit Utama Abdul Samad and Sungai Ayer Molek river mouths were functioning well at the time of the incident.

"The Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) has taken immediate action including going to the site during the heavy rain to ensure that the main pumps were functioning well and to monitor the areas hit by flash floods.

"MBJB has issued the Act 33 Land Work Warning Notice to three developers for failing to control land development works in MBJB areas and for causing today’s flash floods," he said in a statement.