JOHOR BARU: Undergraduates at the Netherlands Maritime University College (NMUC) panicked when floodwaters rose quickly after heavy rain here early this morning.
NMUC student Muhammad Suzaihan Kassim, 25, said the water rose quickly despite there being a big ditch behind their residence.
He and 14 others live in a two-storey bungalow provided by the college near Kampung Mohd Amin, here.
Though they were aware of the heavy rain early this morning, they did not expect floodwaters to enter the house.
"At 8.30am, we saw that water on the road had risen to thigh-level, while floodwaters in the house were up to our knees.
"We moved electrical items, such as refrigerators, to the upper floor of the house.
"Other items, such as sofas and study materials, were also salvaged and moved, except for one of my friend's laptop, which was damaged in the water.
"We were worried because most of the items in the house belonged to the college. They have been informed and will send help for the clean-up and to repair the damages," he said when met at his residence today.
Suzaihan, who is head of the residence, said the bungalow housed 43 students, but at the time of the incident there were only 15 people, as many had returned to their hometowns for the semester break.
He said this was the third flash flood to hit the area, and the worst in the last two years.
Meanwhile, a Kemas kindergarten in Skudai Kiri here faced anxious moments when it too was affected by the flash floods.
Its chairman, Razid Madon, said floodwaters reached his calf.
"The rain began at 6.50am and as usual, whenever heavy rain continues, the water will rise in just between 15 and 30 minutes.
"I informed the teacher to close the kindergarten and asked the parents of the six children who were at the kindergarten to take them back," he said when met here today.
Razid said the kindergarten had to get new furniture and equipment every time it flooded, such as cupboards, shelves, chairs, tables and laptops as well as printers.
"We hope the authorities will repair the drainage system in this area so that flash floods do not happen again," he said.