Flash Flood Aftermath in Bukit Rimau - 18 Dec 2021

18 December 2021 - Flash floods in Klang and Shah Alam

The last social media post I read before sleep was a friend sharing that it's 22-hours of non-stop downpour already.

Wake up in the morning to find out that we may be blocked from getting out of our apartment due to the flash floods.

Cancelled the dentist appointment in the afternoon, knowing that roads around the area would be bad. Then realize that it's grocery day, so our fridge is quite empty.

Have to get out for lunch takeaway, guessing that food delivery is most likely not available, and didn't want to endanger delivery rider for a pack of lunch.

Met the security guard downstairs and asked about the road condition outside the gate but didn't get any good info. No one seems to know what to do, what can we do. If the road is totally flooded, there will be no way for me to get any food for the day. 

As a Malaysian, I am not equipped with sufficient knowledge in case of emergency. We are only be educated about fire drill and building evacuation plan, not natural disasters.

Cars broke down in the middle of the flood, people standing by roadside not dare to proceed further to drive over the flood waters, they looked beaten up, puzzled, the rain has yet to stop, what could happen next? 

What if the worst is yet to come?

What can we do to get prepared?

What should we do to prevent this from happening again?

19 December 2021

Things did get worse.

Internet was gone, followed by electricity blackout. Mobile network still works intermittently, which I believe it is draining phone battery.

Powerbanks were all half charged, as I noticed the sign of electricity disturbance only 30 minutes before it cut off totally. We were totally caught unprepared.

Weather department announced the red alert, right after electricity cut off, that the non-stop rain will continue further. Optimistically, this is a relief because our weather department is proven by track records that their prediction will turn out the opposite result. 

All lifts in our apartment will be shut down and road conditions out there remain as very bad but no further info about how bad and if there is any possible evacuation route out of the city. All we learn from the news and social media is that people are stranded on the road and probably have to get through the night by roadside. I am lucky to be still able to sit in my house safely.

We would want to get out of this area to our parents who lives 50km away north, that is not affected by the disaster and electricity disruption. Checked the maps applications and found that most road getting out of our area is flooded, there is one potential route out to the highway suggested by a map user, but I wonder if we would end up boarded on Acadia following the direction, as it sounds like that is the only one way out.

At this point, there are not enough official information published online to help us make any decision. What we know is that rescues are being deployed to the worst hit area, shelters are being set-up, victims are requesting boats from the official to evacuate elders and those needed individuals. 

For the lucky ones like us that only stuck in our apartment, water supply is slowed due to the water pump not in operation but there are clean water, internet is slow but there are connectivity. Power is out, it may takes more time for them to bring it up back again, as there is a power transformation station in the district tripped and exploded due to flood.

If the situation continues, my next worry would be garbage. I can smell the rotting food waste from the bin in my kitchen, just imagine how would it be in the apartment garbage room every floor in a few more days with the service lift not in operation.

Things I’ve learn so far dealing with this incident so far:

1. Have at least one portable lamp/torchlight always charged at home, some candles and lighters could be handy while needed.

2. Food is important as you may be stuck in the building, just bear in mind that your fridge requires electricity to store fresh food.

3. Get proper outdoor attire ready, if things went south with little time to respond, you don’t want to be force out of the building in your underpants.

4. If you normally use your laptop plugged-in, you can charge your phone or power bank with it.

5. Your phone will be your only bridge getting to know what is happening out there, try not to drain the battery by gaming or checking social media too often. If you still have one at home, FM radio device would consume less of your precious power supply if you need to ease your dis-connectivity anxiety.

6. In the case of electricity blackout, you can’t cook with induction stove. At least get a portable gas stove and some gas just for in case.