WHAT should have been a joyful period of preparations for Deepavali turned into heartbreak for families in Taman Seri Alam, Sungai Buloh, after flash floods inundated their homes, destroying festive supplies and household belongings.
Clothes bought for the festival, kitchen equipment and newly purchased furniture were among the items damaged when floodwaters suddenly surged into their homes yesterday afternoon.
Resident M. Pagirati said her family had not expected flooding to recur, particularly after repair works had been carried out on a nearby retention pond, raising hopes that the problem had been resolved.
“All the preparations are gone. I was supposed to make traditional cakes today, but I could not because the kitchen was damaged. Even the newly bought cabinets and refrigerator were flooded,” she told Buletin TV3.
She said floodwaters had spread beyond the main living area, inundating the bathroom and other parts of the house while damaging furniture and electrical appliances.
The incident not only disrupted the family's Deepavali preparations but also raised concerns about their safety should similar flooding happen again.
Another resident, Sazali Basran, said he was caught off guard by how quickly the water rose, leaving him with time to save only a car and a motorcycle, while another motorcycle was submerged.
Sazali, who has lived in the housing estate for 14 years, said the last time the area experienced flooding was in December 2024.
“I was alone at home at the time, so there was only so much I could do.
“Within the housing estate, the affected areas were Lanes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12, although the water level in Lane 12 was only slightly higher.
“Lane 6 is the lowest-lying area in the estate because our retention pond is located at the far end,” he said.
Meanwhile, Taman Seri Alam Residents' Association chairman Fuzil Mohammad Daud said floodwaters began entering the housing estate at about 4pm following heavy rain that started around 3pm.
“Looking at the situation now, the water did not come solely from the Hilpark retention pond and neighbouring housing estates. We could also see a substantial volume coming from UiTM Puncak Alam itself,” he said.
As at 11.30pm on Nov 5, nine temporary relief centres in Kuala Selangor, Shah Alam and Klang were sheltering 1,120 flood victims from 284 families.
Three rivers also recorded water levels above the warning threshold. - November 6, 2026
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