Continuous downpour leaves Kemaman flooded

KEMAMAN: Just days ago, the weather forecast indicated that there would be moderate rainfall throughout the rest of the monsoon season.

Scratch that, the skies have changed.

There were several hours of unrelenting downpour yesterday, resulting in flash floods in low-lying areas here.

Kemaman district officer Rosman Roslan said agencies dealing with floods and disasters had all geared up for a major flood. This included having vulnerable patients prepared to move to evacuation centres, he said.

“We have identified 520 vulnerable patients in the district including 369 pregnant women.

“In case of a major flood hitting the district, all the patients will be moved to SM al-Falah in Chukai here which will be used as a medical transit,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Those identified as vulnerable patients have been repeatedly re­minded to have their carry bag ready to evacuate their homes.

“They will have all their bags packed with the medication and important stuff so there will be no time wasted during evacuation.

“However there are no vulnerable patients among those evacuated,” he said, adding that thorough monitoring was ongoing especially during high tides.

The number of flood victims in Kemaman reached 111 people from 27 families as at 8.15pm yesterday.

State Civil Defence Force director Lt Kol Che Adam A Rahman said that the evacuation centres – SMK Badrul Alam Shah in Kemasik, Kampung Padang Kemunting hall and Kampung Batu 9, Ibok – opened yesterday morning.

“The heavy downpour in Hulu Terengganu also saw Jalan Felda Mengkawang-Tersat closed to light vehicles.

“Our men are also on standby,” he said when contacted.

The floods, he said, were mainly due to a narrow drainage system which slowed the flow of water.

Nasi lemak seller Zuraidah Muda, 44, who evacuated from her home with her husband, four children and a nephew at about 8.10am yesterday, said water rose very fast and by the time she moved out, it was about a metre deep.

“It was so fast. Within five minutes the water was already about a metre deep. The house that we live in is right beside the river so we face this issue whenever the river water overflows,” she said.

Another victim, Zakiah Zakaria, 36, from Kampung Kemunting, Kijal here said despite being used to the annual floods, she and her family still dreaded the situation.

“It comes very fast. We are lucky that it happened in the morning and not while we were asleep,” she said.