Reader, were you stranded wherever you happened to be when the rains struck yesterday afternoon — barricaded in at your office/the mall/the grocery store by congested roads and the moat that surrounds Subang when it rains?
Well, if so, Malaysia’s Meteorological Department has some bad news for you: Expect four to six prolonged episodes of heavy rain during this monsoon season, starting on Oct. 24, and carrying on until the end of March. Also, expect lots of flooding in low-lying and flood-prone areas.
Yeesh.
“During its (Northeast Monsoon) early stages until January, heavy rains are forecast in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor, while in January and February, the heavy rain episodes will be focused in Sarawak and Sabah.
“If heavy rainfall coincides with high tide, the floods could worsen, and besides these Northeasterly strong winds will result in choppy waters in the South China Sea,” read a statement from the agency.
As always, the public has been asked to monitor the weather, and to remain vigilant when driving in heavy rains, as parts of the country are prone to flash floods.
Flash floods hit Segambut Dalam in KL following heavy downpour – socmedvid pic.twitter.com/1pWt6Ueip1
— Kuala Lumpur Reporter 🇲🇾 (@KL_Reporter) October 14, 2019
Sometimes travel just can’t be helped, and maybe you’ve found yourself in a car in heavy rain? First things first: Don’t drive through a flooded road, or across a flooded bridge. Even if it just seems like a few centimeters of water, there’s no way of knowing what dangerous circumstances are lurking underneath.
Too late, and you’ve already found yourself stuck inside a flooded car? Get out immediately, and move to higher ground.
Swept away in a flooded car? Don’t panic! Roll the window down, if you can, and wait for it to mostly fill with water to equalize the pressure inside and outside of the vehicle. Take a deep breath, open the door, and head for the surface. Move over obstacles, not under them, and if you manage to grab hold of a tree, don’t try to swim away — wait for rescue.
On second thought, when the rain hits, maybe it’s better to just tough it out stuck at the mall.
One more handy pointer for anyone dealing with a car that been stuck in high water: do NOT try to turn the engine on — you could be making the situation worse. Call a tow truck to get your car out of the water as soon as possible to minimize damage and corrosion. Let it dry out, and check your oil for water droplets to see if it’s been contaminated. You’ll probably also want to call a mechanic, and remember to take several deep breaths before you look at the bill.
Stay safe, everyone.
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