Following a recent incident in which areas of the city were inundated, the Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) would take steps to mitigate flash floods.
As an extra measure to the flood mitigation works done under the now-completed phase two of the Sungai Segget Rejuvenation Project, Mayor Datuk Mohd Noorazam Osman said the council was coming up with short and long-term solutions to fix the issue.
The Cause of the Flash Flood: High Amount of Down Pour
“In the recent occurrence, 48mm of rain poured in four hours, equivalent to two months’ rain, causing flash floods in several areas, including Jalan Tebrau and Taman Suria.”
“This shows that the current drainage system is inadequate,” Noorazam told reporters after attending the unveiling of Sungai Segget’s new image by Johor Menteri Besar, Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
Century-Old Sewage No Longer Adequate
“Other reasons for flash floods in non-flood prone locations include ongoing construction projects and outdated sewerage systems that are over 100 years old, so we must take long-term preparations to respond to future needs,” he said in the same event.
Railway Track Installation Blocked Water Flow
He also claimed that the flash flood in Larkin Idaman last week was caused by the installation of a railway track there.
“This is not to say that the developer did not take flood mitigation measures,” he continued, but soil erosion occurred there, creating a backflow.
In the City Council Whole Meeting’s statement dated 31st of May 2022, he also mentioned that some other areas were flooded due to a tree branch and a tree stuck in the sump crossing culvert, causing the water flow of the main ditch to be blocked and overflowed onto the road, as well as gully traps being closed, preventing surface runoff from flowing directly into the drains and very high river water levels cause water flow in certain roads cannot flow out (discharge) into the river.
What has MBJB Done?
Noorazam in the Whole Meeting’s statement said that MBJB will upgrade the drainage system and reopen the gully trap that has been closed as well as build an OSD flood mitigation system or flood reservoir pool system to overcome flash floods in the area.
MBJB proposes to upgrade 2 existing pump units at Jalan Keris 2 to accommodate water during unusually heavy rains and will install tidal flex and build an OSD flood mitigation system at Jalan Kasa to address the issues.
MBJB through the MBJB Lightning Squad (MBJB Skuad Kilat) has helped to clean and maintain the gully trap on a regular basis according to the set schedule.
The Two Days of Downpour on 24th May
A strong downpour has reportedly created flash floods in different areas of Johor Bahru city, sparking panic and forcing the authorities to stop a route for public safety.
Flash floods were reported to arise 10 minutes after the rain began at around 2.15 pm, impacting roadways such as Jalan Tebrau, Jalan Serampang, and Jalan Tun Abdul Razak.
Due to rising flood waters, a police officer was observed blocking vehicle access to Jalan Tun Abdul Razak.
Flash floods devastated Jalan Tebrau, with a car stranded in the water, according to a video circulating on social media.
However, after the heavy rain ended at 4 pm the same day, the flood waters soon receded.
