Sashidaran Gunathevan
Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) says blocked drains worsened the Lembah Subang floods on 17 and 18 October. It has ordered the road works contractor to clean the drains regularly.
In addition, MBPJ said an inspection on 18 October found construction debris, refuse and sediment in the drainage system. It has also changed the drainage structure to help water flow.
Here is what happened, what MBPJ has done and what remains unclear.
What happened on 17 and 18 October
Heavy rain on 17 October caused flash floods in parts of Subang Jaya, Subang Bestari, Kota Damansara and Ara Damansara. Social media users posted photos of rising water and stalled traffic. Other posts reported flooding in USJ 1, USJ 7, Sunway and Shah Alam.
Then, a Lembah Subang resident from Taman Putra Damai posted on Threads. He asked the minister to look into floods that, he said, hit every time it rains.
He claimed soil and construction materials beside the main road wash into nearby drains and block them. He also said pedestrian walkway works have stayed unfinished for a long time.
The resident blamed the contractor but did not name it. His claim about the walkway works has not been independently verified.
MBPJ then replied to the post. It asked for the full address of the affected location so the council could check and act.
What MBPJ found and did
The council said that the Lembah Subang floods hit the Lembah Subang 1 public housing project on Jalan PJU 1A/46. The floods came on 17 and 18 October.
Its inspection on 18 October found that construction debris, refuse and sediment blocked the flow of water in the drains. Road upgrading works are ongoing in the area.
The same day, the council modified the drainage system to improve water flow and cut the risk of overflow. It gave no details of the changes.
MBPJ also told the infrastructure contractor to clean the drains regularly. The contractor must keep construction materials out of the drains throughout the road works.
“We will continue to monitor the situation on-site and ensure that follow-up measures are implemented,” the council said. It aims to reduce the risk of repeat floods and protect residents.
What is still unclear
However, several details about the Lembah Subang floods are missing. MBPJ did not say what the drainage changes were or how long the follow-up measures will take.
It also did not name the contractor. Furthermore, it gave no figures on rainfall, damage or affected homes.
Floods are not new to Petaling Jaya. In July, a weekend flash flood hit Section 12 in Petaling Jaya. One warehouse suffered nearly RM2 million in damage.
Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung said he would arrange a briefing with MBPJ on that flood. Residents want a long-term fix.
Floods have hit other states too, such as Perak. Earlier this year, storms also drove a surge in fallen tree emergencies.
If your street floods, give MBPJ the full address of the affected spot. The council asked the Lembah Subang resident for exactly that. Because it needs the address to check and act, a clear location helps.
Admin
Yalinie Mathan
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