SHAH ALAM: "Quickly move your cars. The water is rising!"
Those were the shouts residents at Pangsapuri Perdana in Section 13 heard yesterday after an afternoon heavy downpour led to flash floods.
They were 'sounding the alarm' after seeing the flood waters rising quickly and inundating cars parked at the apartment's ground floor.
A resident, Nur Amirah Alya Mohd Tajuddin, 27, said she heard her neighbour on the ground floor screaming about what was happening. However, it flooded so quickly that she had no time to save her car.
"Yesterday, the rain started at about 4.30pm, and an hour later a flash flood occurred. We only knew it was flooded when we heard people screaming about the groundfloor parking lot being inundated.
"I've lived here since 2019, and floods have happened before, but it has never this bad."
Nur Amirah said the water rose to a level passed the car tyres and water entered the bonnet.
Today, she was accompanied by her friend, Asmira Mokhsen, 27, was also cleaning her damaged car.
When met at the scene, she said she was afraid to start her car engine.
"I called a tow truck driver to tow my car to the workshop so it can be checked."
Asmira said it was the first time she experienced such severe flooding in the area since moving to the area three years ago.
"It's the first time I am seeing my car submerged up to its door handle," she said, adding that the water level was much lower during a previous flash floods.
She said she only drove her car once or twice a week since she was working from home.
"Since 8.30am this morning, residents at the apartment were busy cleaning their cars. Some of them towed their vehicles.
"The condition of my vehicle is bad because the cushions reek as they were wet and dirty," she said.
Both women urged the government to pay attention to flood-prone areas and take initiatives to help the affected residents.
Meanwhile, an Iraqi interpreter, Ali Yahya, 30, was cleaning his vehicle and hanging some footwear out to dry.
I've lived for six months after moving from Puncak Alam, but this is the first such a thing has occurred," said Ali, who has been living in the country for 20 years.
He said his two cars and motorcycle were damaged in the flood.