Waking up to flood nightmare
Americans and Indians facing rising water levels and sleepless nights
PETALING JAYA: Malaysians are used to flash floods but not Americans.
However, those living in the southern parts of the United States are now having to contend with rising water levels and sleepless nights.
Cities like Houston and its suburbs are still grappling with unprecedented floods triggered by Hurricane Harvey.
In India, parts of Mumbai and Delhi are being lashed by heavy monsoon rains.
Former journalist Fazleena Aziz said she made the mistake of going out to the nearby Juhu neighbourhood in Mumbai and was stuck when the rains hit India’s financial capital.
With the roads jammed and no taxis available, Fazleena was fortunate that she managed to seek shelter at a friend’s place, although the water was ankle-high at that time.
“Another friend of mine had it worse. She lost electricity in the house and water was seeping in because her apartment was on the ground floor,” said Fazleena, who helps with her husband’s business in the city.
“While rains are expected with the monsoon season, which runs from June until the end of September, floods are not,” she said.
Otherwise, she said, Mumbai’s weather was generally hot and dry, or humid.
In West Houston, housewife Carol Schuster described the aftermath of the hurricane as shocking.
“Even though Harvey was expected, we did not in our wildest dreams imagine it would be of this magnitude. There was so much devastation around us,” she told The Star.
Since the hurricane struck on Aug 25, Schuster and her family had experienced sleepless nights due to constant tornado warnings on her phone.
“My husband Robert, my 16-yearold daughter Kyla, our pet dog Toby and I had to come downstairs many times during the night to take shelter in our master bedroom closet.
“It is the safest place to be if a tornado were to hit our property,” she said, adding that there was no damage to her property.
However, Schuster said that several of her friends had to be evacuated from their homes due to floodwaters.
“It’s so strange to see things so normal on my end and at a not-toofar end, so much devastation,” she said.
She praised the Houston community for their bravery and generosity in aiding flood victims.
“Tons of people have come for- ward to lend a helping hand in providing essentials such as blankets, pillows, towels, food, medicine, etc.
“Everyone had come together in the spirit of love and togetherness. I’m truly moved,” Schuster added.
According to Reuters, at least US$23bil (RM98.9bil) worth of property had been damaged by floods from Hurricane Harvey, which was described as the strongest storm to hit the United States since 1961.