JERTIH, Dec 19 — A total of 20 food traders at the Jertih Market here could only watch as their stocks and equipment were swept away by strong floodwaters this morning.

Coconut milk seller Azizul Abdul Aziz, 40, said after they were informed of the flooding at 6.30am, they rushed to the market to save their goods but failed due to the rapid rise of the water level.

"We raced here to save the goods such as salted fish and fish crackers, among other things, but had to leave because the current was getting stronger and the water was rising so rapidly,” he told Bernama today.

Azizul said he lost a refrigerator in addition to other equipment in his stall.

Zainab Zakaria, 43, who sells dry food items said today’s flooding incident was worse than the massive floods that occurred in the state in 2014 based on the two-metre-deep floodwaters and strong currents.

"We didn’t expect the flooding to be this bad, so yesterday evening we placed the sale items on the table as floodwaters would normally only reach thigh level,” she said.

She could not estimate her losses as the entire market is still flooded, she added. — Bernama