Flash flood disrupts Malaysia International Furniture Fair
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, March 16, 2009
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A flash flood caused havoc during the opening day of the Malaysia International Furniture Fair, held here March 3-7.
The flood occurred around 5 p.m. March 3 after a river that runs adjacent to the show overflowed its banks. The river is closest to Hall 2, which had about four feet of water at the height of the flood. The water was about six inches deep in Hall 1.
Show managing director Dato Tan Chin Huat evacuated the halls immediately and ordered a staff member to turn off electricity that fed into the buildings.
Water did extensive damage to product samples and also to vehicles parked nearby.
“Hundreds of cars were submerged in water,” said Ernie Koh, senior vice president of sales and marketing at case goods manufacturer Koda Ltd., which had product in the affected areas. “Hall 2 was condemned and we were told to relocate to another hall.”
It was unclear how many other exhibitors had to move from the flooded areas. The show covers about 800,000 square feet and has about 500 exhibitors. Halls 1 and 2 have about 100,000 square feet and 50,000 square feet, respectively.
All but seven or eight exhibitors were relocated to the nearby MATRADE (Malaysian External Trade Development Corp.) Exhibition and Convention Center, which is also used by other MIFF exhibitors, Tan said.
Tan told Furniture/Today that the floodwaters receded almost as quickly as they had risen, and that all power had been restored by 7 p.m. He said market staff worked all night to move exhibitors that still had enough intact furniture to display. Hall 1 was reopened at 1 p.m. the next day.
Tan declined to say whether the show would compensate exhibitors for product damage or other financial losses due to lost sales, until he has time to consider alternatives.
“I've done my part,” he told Furniture/Today. “I saw to it that there were no casualties and I've relocated my exhibitors.”
This is the first time in more than 10 years that this part of the city has experienced a flash flood, Tan said. He added that the city has been promising for years to solve the drainage problem.
Any action the show takes to compensate the exhibitors could involve discussions with the city, he said.
A video of the flooded street is on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPBkK4dJat0.
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