Malaysians were hit by massive floods in late 2021 and 3 months later, floods have struck the capital again.
Last year, the floods that hit Malaysia caused unprecedented amounts of damage, claiming near 50 lives and causing millions of Ringgit in property damage. The insurance companies had to make enormous pay outs and went out of their way to provide special coverage and a fund to help those who didn’t have special perils coverage. The government spent millions to get people back on their feet but admitted their initial response was too slow and vowed to do better.
Today, residents in Kuala Lumpur found themselves facing yet more flooded roads and perhaps worse. Images began to surface from the KL city centre showing cars, bikes, trucks and more submerged in parking lots.
Reports are popping up all over the Klang Valley of flooded highways and roads and this looks like it’s about to be another huge disaster for thousands of vehicle owners and the insurance industry. Let’s hope special perils insurance coverage was taken by the affected vehicle owners.
We even saw these floods first hand right outside of the KESAS highway. We were lucky enough to not be on the road at the time.
The flooding caused major traffic on both sides of the highway, with water levels residing on the Klang-bound side of KESAS and rising on the KL-bound side, right after the PJ toll.
Other areas reported to be affected by flash floods include Jalan Kuchai Lama, Masjid Jamek, Jalan Kia Peng and more.
If you happened to encounter a flooded road while driving, do not attempt to drive through it even if you’re in an SUV or if the flood water doesn’t look too deep. This is because you’re not able to tell what debris is on the road surface and water can quite easily enter your engine and cause tens of thousands of Ringgit in damage.
You should instead pull over to the side/emergency lane and turn off your engine, leaving your hazard lights on. If the flood recedes and the road is clear, then continue your journey, but head for higher ground until you’re sure no other flooded roads are in your way.
If your vehicle was flooded while parked, do not attempt to start the engine. Have your vehicle towed to a workshop and have your mechanic make sure no water has entered the air filter or engine. It’s also advisable to ensure the electronics are completely dry before attempting to start the vehicle, so it may take several days. But it sure beats getting hit with enormous bills.
