Relief workers’ homes flooded but duty comes first

Ankle deep: Zaharudin Mohammad, 47, salvaging items from his flooded home in Kampung Batu 10, Pasir Gajah near Kemaman, Terengganu. — Bernama

KUANTAN: Looking at how Social Welfare Department (JKM) worker A. Thivurasi had been tirelessly working round the clock to help flood victims in Pahang, nobody would have guessed her thoughts were also on her flood-hit home in Felda Sungai Jerik in Maran, some 90km away from here.

The situation faced by the 31-year-old was in fact much worse than some of the flood victims she was rendering aid to, but as far as Thivurasi was concerned, duty comes first. She got word that Maran district, where she is based, had been hit last Sunday morning and at that time, was at her husband’s family home in Felda Lurah Bilut in Bentong.“I knew my services would be needed and quickly hit the road back to Maran. The journey felt like a lifetime as many roads were already inaccessible due to floods but we found alternative routes.