Both areas had previous flooding incidents but were severely impacted during the December 2021 monsoon season, resulting in numerous fatalities and millions of ringgit in damages.
Hulu Langat businesswoman Zaini Nuh, 55, suffered losses amounting to RM150,000 due to the floods. Her entire stock was lost when the floodwaters entered her shop and it took around four months to resume business operations.
“Now, everybody is traumatised and business owners feel afraid.
“If it starts to rain at night, I can’t sleep. We’re scared that the same thing will happen again,” she told FMT.
Similarly, food stall owner Zahra Abu Bakar, who faced business disruptions due to the floods, said that both the government and NGOs promptly offered aid for recovery.
However, she said her house continued to experience issues such as peeling paint and recurring moss.
“I check if the ditches are filling with water. If it rains for a while, like an hour, we’re already scared. It’s not just us, it’s everybody.”
But the 60-year-old resident of Taman Sri Nanding said she feels more prepared as the community conducts drills for flood preparations, which include an evacuation plan and designated meeting point.
Despite lingering trauma from the previous flood experience, residents in Taman Sri Muda have found solace in flood preparation initiatives.
During continuous rainfall, 35-year-old Nazrin Roslin said residents move their cars to higher ground in anticipation of flooding.
The residents’ concerns have also been allayed by the local authorities in terms of its preparedness and the effectiveness of the flood warning system.
“Every time it rains, the fire (and rescue) department and the Shah Alam City Council are on standby with boats near the river. They will monitor first. That’s why they have alarms, which will go off.”
Devan Subramaniam, another resident, resorted to desperate measures during the floods, including eating expired food to stave off hunger. He lost most of his furniture and important documents, but is now prepared to bring any item at a moment’s notice.
“Now we feel ready, so if anything happens and the water level rises, we can take everything and leave.”
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