Lately everytime it rains in Ipoh, flash flood seems to pop up everywhere in the town center to major residential and commercial areas. All it takes is 30 minutes of heavy downpour to send streams of gushing water struggling to find their way through clogged drainage.

We had quite a jittery situation a few nights ago after dinner. Heavy rain started to pour for more than 2 hours before we made our way home from the restaurant. We were driving down a stretch of road and the water level seems to be getting too high. We stopped our car, watched as the car in front of us struggled to push through water levels which seems to be getting deeper all the time. We also noticed two vehicles stranded with emergency signal lamps lit further down the road. It was clearly a no go situation so we shifted into reverse regardless of cars already behind us. I supposed they got the message too as all the cars around us did the same.

What made the situation more panicky is baby Clarisse wanted to pooh. Knowing her, she has been pretty honest about it so far. Baby Clarisse made it clear as soon as we got into the car she wanted to “emmm emmm”. We need to get home fast so with the shortest route flooded like hell, we tried different routes. Alternative routes too were dangerously flooded as water levels at some parts of the road were already up to number plate level but luckily we made it back home safely.

But the car didn’t make it back in one piece as the number plate was ripped off by the water. We realised it when woke up the next morning. Frankly, I thought someone rip our number plate off coz I never knew how forceful flood water can be when you drive a car through it. Well, apart from the damaged number plate, the car seems to be fine. Thank god.

Not surprisingly when my husband took our car to get its number plate fixed, the mechanics in the shop were busy with cars which broke down stranded in floods around Ipoh the night before. The affected engines needed an overhaul and the damage could easily be around RM2-3K.

Maybe its just me but as far as I can recall, flash floods were never so frequent or severe in Ipoh a few years ago. Incidently the areas where serious flooding occurs are areas which has undergone some pretty major infrastructure development in recent years. Its high time the authorities do something about it before things get worst.