Traffic in downtown Kuala Lumpur is in a gridlock due to flash floods along Jalan Tun Razak during rush hour following heavy downpour.

The floods had left the entrance to the National Library inundated with flood waters. It is understood that the waters also reached the Bernama headquarters nearby.

kuala lumpur jalan tun razak flood 131211 06 Jalan Tun Razak is a major traffic artery that leads to the major urban areas of Cheras, Sungai Besi, Kajang and Seremban.

The area is not known to be prone to flooding. Just last week, downtown Kajang was hit by heavy flash floods - the worse since 1971.

Meanwhile, Bernama reports that in Jalan Semarak, 23 children, aged between three months and nine years, as well as three nursery teachers, had to be rescued by the Fire and Rescue squad after the Bonus River overflowed and caused the nursery to be submerged under 1.5 metres of flood water.

kuala lumpur jalan tun razak flood 131211 03 A Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson said rescue squads from Jelatek and Jinjang fire stations were deployed to take the children out of the premises using a boat.

“Twenty students of a multimedia college located next to the nursery were also evacuated to a higher ground,” he said.

A nursery teacher, Rodiah Yahya, 28, when met said flood waters rose in just a matter of minutes and forced her to confine the children on the upper level of the nursery to prevent untoward incidents.

kuala lumpur jalan tun razak flood 131211 01 “The flood waters reached the chest level. Luckily, we have confined the children on the second floor. We also managed to rescue some of our stuff and after waiting for half an hour, the firemen finally came to our rescue,” she said.

Meanwhile, part of Jalan Tun Razak near the National Library were also inundated by flood waters causing thousands of vehicles to be stuck in massive traffic jams.

Acting Kuala Lumpur Traffic chief Supt Rusli Mohd Noor said other roads affected by the flash floods were Jalan Kuching, whole area of Taman Wahyu, Dato Onn roundabout near Bank Rakyat and Air Panas People’s Housing Project (PPR) areas.

However, he said all roads were accessible after the flood waters subsided at 7pm.