GEORGE TOWN: For the second time in two months, flash floods brought Penang to its knees, halting traffic and submerging homes in various parts of the city.
The floods, which have become a perennial problem on the island, also meant that a bleak Deepavali was on the cards for the Hindu community.
In Jalan P. Ramlee and arterial roads at Bandar Baru Air Itam, more than 100 houses were submerged in knee-deep water, forcing residents to salvage whatever they can.
Several roads in Lebuhraya Thean Teik and Jalan Thean Teik were also badly flooded, leaving dozens of cars submerged and their owners ruing the damages.
Floods waters also struck Jalan Masjid Negeri, one of the island's main arterial roads. Water levels rose quickly, reducing traffic to a crawl. Several cars which later attempted to brave the flood waters ended up stalled halfway.
The water also seeped into the common area on the ground floor at a densely-populated block of flats in Bandar Baru Air Itam.
Among the areas affected by flash floods were Jalan Paya Terubong and Taman Lumba Kuda.
An uprooted tree also reportedly hit a parked vehicle at Jalan Patani.
The rain started about 3pm. Flood waters rose quickly and reached waist level at several places at flood-prone places in Jalan P Ramlee and its vicinity.
A grim atmosphere was evident as residents waded through the floods to salvage their belongings and transfer their household items to higher ground.
The entire section of the road was cordoned off, as residents at the nearby Sungai Pinang residential area chipped in to help the affected residents.
A dejected Mohamad Rafiq Jalil, 46, who lives off Jalan P. Ramlee, lamented the losses he has to endure each time flash floods hit his neighborhood.
Rafiq vented his fury on the state government and local authorities, whom he claimed tended to shift the blame on Mother Nature for the floods.
"I am tired of hearing repeated excuses from the state government, attributing the flash floods to the so-called 'King' Tide and tidal change pattern.
"Nothing has been done to mitigate the flash floods for far too long, I am saddened that the analysis and much-politicised flood mitigation schemes have come to nothing," he said.
Another resident, S. Rajasekaran, 62, said he is at his wits' end. He claimed he has given up hope that Penang's flood problems will be resolved in his lifetime.
"I doubt the state government knows what it's doing, we suffer each time it pours.
"Our plight has fallen on deaf ears and there is no way we can recover the hefty losses due to the damages over the years," he said.
Meanwhile, a near tragedy was averted when a landslip occurred at a hillslope in Paya Terubong behind several high-rise buildings.
The loose earth came crashing down the hillslope and missed several parked cars.
The downpour petered out by 8pm. There has been no word yet on the extent of the damages.
Last month, floods hit Bayan Baru, leaving residents scrambling for safety.
Environment civil liberties group Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) had then urged the Penang government to investigate and take immediate action to resolve the flash floods problem.
Its president S.M. Mohamed Idris had claimed that its survey showed that rapid development and failure of the drainage system to function effectively during heavy rain had triggered the flash floods.
Environmental groups had also blamed rampant development as among the factors for the floods. Flash floods had also submerged parts of Penang in May and July.