The Malaysian Insight

THREE weeks after floods devastated large parts of Hulu Langat, residents are still clearing up.

Those who spoke to The Malaysian Insight said they expect to finish by the end of the month.

However, they are apprehensive about refurnishing their homes and installing new appliances for fear the area may be inundated with mud and debris once again, given that it is still monsoon season.

Mohd Yusoff, 55, a resident of Taman Sri Nanding, said he expects finish clearing up before Chinese New Year.

“Only half the house is clean. I still have to wash all the clothes damaged by the flood water and mud,” he said.

Yusoff said he and his wife had to dismantle their kitchen cabinet, and throw away electrical appliances, such as the washing machine and television, laptops too.

“The water was up to 2.1m and, after it receded, we were left with more than 0.3m of mud.

“Luckily for us, there were volunteers who came to help us clean,” he said, adding that the whole experience was exhausting.

Yusoff said 90% of the items in his house, worth at least RM100,000, were damaged but he has no intentions of replacing them anytime soon.

“The repair work, paint job, replacing all the appliances and the mattresses will have to wait.

“Until the entire house is clean and things are more stable, we will just use things that were donated to us.”

For Nor Ibrahtul Farwizah, 22, her family home was in the process of renovation and they were living in a rented property just down the road when the floods hit the area.

She and her family had to clean their rented house, before they could concentrate on the family home.

“Our house is being renovated. It was supposed to have been completed in mid-December. When the flood hit, we had to focus on cleaning the rented house first because that is where we are living in the interim.

“We have only now started on the house, but all the pieces of debris are mixed in with construction material,” Ibrahtul said.

Despite the renovation, she said, all their possessions, furniture and appliances were still in the house and were waterlogged.

The renovation has subsequently been delayed for two to three months, she added.

She and her family also do not intend to buy new furniture or appliances any time soon.

“We heard that there might be a second or third wave, so we will wait.”

Further up in Sungai Lui, while mud and debris have been largely cleared from the main road, residents are still cleaning out their houses.

The water in this area was up to 3.7m deep, residents said, leaving many of them stranded on rooftops.

Din, 55, was busy washing a carpet when met at his home.

“I think it will take me at least one more month to clean my house. Though volunteers came to help clean up, we still had to wash the house.”

It took six days just to shovel out all the mud on his doorstep, he said.

Din, who lives in a kampung house built on stilts, will also have to replace the foundation, which cracked due to heavy currents.

“Everything in the house is gone. While all the mud has been cleared, there is still a lot of dust.”

He also said it may be too early to buy new furniture.

“We have to be ready for all possibilities, it is all in God’s hands.”

Another resident Ahmad Firdaus, 30, was luckier as water levels only reached ankle-level in his house.

“With the help of my friends, I was able to clean up. Only a few things were damaged but most of the appliances are still good to use,” he said.

Heavy rain over the December 18-19 weekend caused widespread flooding across the Klang Valley.

Hulu Langat was one of the worst affected areas with water levels reaching rooftops, while houses close to rivers were swept away by heavy currents.

While most residents have returned home after spending days and weeks in temporary flood relief centres, the clean-up is still ongoing. – January 12, 2022.