KUALA LUMPUR: A section of a retention pond near Taman Seri Alam collapsed today, causing a catastrophic flood that rapidly spread into the residential area.
The occurrence, which marks the second such an incident since 2015, sent a surge of water into homes, catching residents completely off guard.
Several videos that went viral on social media captured the extent of the flooding, showing streets in the residential area submerged in water, rising to the level of vehicle tires.
In the chaos, many residents scrambled to move their cars to higher ground in an effort to protect them from the floodwaters.
Taman Seri Alam Resident Association president Sazalie Basran when contacted said the incident took place around 4pm, following an hour of heavy rain.
He said the retention pond's wall was repaired three months ago after cracks were discovered.
"The Paya Jaras assemblyman (Datuk Dr Ab Halim Tamuri) had brought up the issue to the developer MKH Bhd (developer of Hill Park), which had carried out the necessary repairs.
"The YB had asked whether an incident similar to what had occurred in 2015 would happen again after the repair work was completed and the developer assured us.
"However, less than three months after the repairs, the wall collapsed again today, causing water to spill over into the residential area."
When asked about the number of houses affected by the flood, Sazalie estimated that around 100 units, including single and double-story terraced houses.
"Right now, we are dealing with stagnant floodwaters," he added.
He said the residents have requested that a temporary relief centre be opened to provide shelter for the residents to take shelter for the time being.