(Kuala Lumpur, July 18) Petaling Jaya's well-known Medan Selera Jaya 223 hawker centre was submerged under floodwaters reaching 2 metres this afternoon, marking its most severe flooding incident of the year amid a wider KL flash flood affecting the Klang Valley.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department operations assistant director Asrulriza said in a statement that a report was received at 4:35pm, prompting the immediate dispatch of 12 firefighters from the Petaling Jaya station. By the time crews arrived roughly 20 minutes later, floodwaters had already reached their peak of 2 metres, though levels had begun receding. One fire rescue vehicle and one emergency medical services vehicle were deployed. Fortunately, no one was trapped or injured, and no evacuation was necessary. Live footage on TikTok showed murky floodwaters rapidly engulfing the hawker centre, with vendors and patrons scrambling to move their goods to higher ground. This is the third time this year the hawker centre has flooded — waist-high on April 20, about 1.2 metres on May 6 (which submerged several cars in the parking area), and now a record 2 metres today.
The flooding at the hawker centre came amid a broader KL flash flood that struck Petaling Jaya, Kelana Jaya and Damansara particularly hard, with major roads submerged up to half the height of a car. Motorists crawled through the rising water or diverted into indoor car parks, causing severe traffic congestion. The outdoor dining area at Mid Valley Megamall was also flooded, and nearby Jalan Gasing reported similar conditions. Bukit Lanjan in Shah Alam and old Jalan Gasing in Kuala Lumpur were also hit, with flood sirens sounding in parts of Shah Alam by evening.
Elsewhere, a fallen tree incident struck Kampung Batu 3 in Bandar Sungai Long on the same afternoon, with two trees blocking a road and a third falling onto a house. Nine firefighters and a fire engine responded at 4:18pm, arriving at 4:40pm and clearing the trees with chainsaws by 4:45pm. No casualties were reported.
Meanwhile, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage recorded three rivers across four stations in Selangor exceeding alert levels as of 8:15pm, including Sungai Bagan, Sungai Rasau and Sungai Penchala, prompting warnings for residents to prepare for possible evacuation. The Meteorological Department also issued a thunderstorm and heavy rain warning at 4:40pm covering Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and several other states through 7pm.
