THE 30-minute flash flood that submerged cars along the Damansara-Puchong Express-way (LDP) and in the IOI Mall open-air carpark in Puchong could have been caused by blocked drainage, which prevented water from flowing into the Klang River.

Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi said water from Puchong residential areas such as Bandar Puchong Jaya flowed into the river through several passages that run under the LDP and also past the IOI Mall and into the Klang River, which runs along the border of Puchong and USJ, near the Sunway toll plaza.

Asmawi was present at the construction site of the LRT 6 station beside IOI Mall with representatives from the MPSJ engineering department, LDP conscessionaire Litrak, LRT construction contractor Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) and IOI Mall for a brief discussion on the possible causes of the flash flood.

“This area has been flooded before but not as badly as on Monday.

“It was a downpour and the water just could not flow into the river.

“There is a temporary drain built within the LRT station construction site that is winding and filled with undergrowth, so that might have slowed down the flow of water.

“We will be having a meeting with all parties involved to determine the actual cause,” he said.

He added that as a short-term solution, the council would seek help from Prasarana, through MRCB, to clear the downstream section of the drainage system at their site.

“As a long-term solution, a proper drain at the LRT station site has to be built.

“We will also ask the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and Litrak to check if the drainage system under the LDP is sufficient to cope with the current capacity,” he said.

During the flash flood on Monday evening, about 140 cars were submerged in the IOI open-air car park and about 15 cars had to be towed out the following day.

As the affected location has a high concentration of commercial and residential areas, Kinrara assemblyman Teresa Kok advised the community, particularly restaurant owners, to keep their drains clean to prevent the drainage system from getting blocked.

Meanwhile, Litrak communications head Shah Rizal Mohamed Fawzi said the drain openings along the highway were cleaned on a weekly basis to prevent blockage.

He said in case of emergencies, the public could call the Litrak hotline at 03-7494 7333.