KOTA TINGGI, March 1 — A workshop owner in Jalan Kota Kecil 1 here suffered losses of around RM100,000 after his premises were flooded due to continuous rain since yesterday morning.

Hairul Helme Abd Rahman, 43, said eight cars belonging to his customers were also fully submerged in floodwaters.

"At 11am yesterday, the water rose rapidly to 1.5 metres, and I did not have time to save anything. This is the worst disaster I had to deal with after six years of running the business here,” he told reporters today.

Hairul Helme said he had to close his workshop for about two weeks for cleaning works and to repair the equipment and machinery damaged by the floods.

A restaurant owner, Siti Mumsiah Idris, 58, said floodwaters started to enter her premises at 5 am today, damaging three refrigerators, with losses estimated at RM2,000.

"The water began to recede at 11am and now, my family and I have started cleaning up the premises. However, this flood was not as bad as in 2006,” she said.

A Bernama check found around 15 business premises in Jalan Kota Kecil 1, and their respective owners are busy conducting cleaning works.

Meanwhile, Johor Zone 2 acting chief Deputy Fire Superintendent II Tahrin Saat said firefighters have geared up to face any possibility of floods due to the uncertain weather conditions and reminded residents to avoid wading in floodwaters. — Bernama