BATU PAHAT: While the flood situation in Johor has started showing signs of improvement, some here are keeping their guards up in fear of a second wave.
Farmer Abd Malik Muhammad, 44, said their fear stemmed from a bad experience they went through some 17 years ago when their homes were hit by floods twice within a few weeks.
“I remember living at the temporary centre for about two weeks at the end of 2006 after my house at Kampung Sungai Biuh was hit by floods. By early 2007, the water receded and I was able to return home with my family.
“Unfortunately, just about a week after we returned home, the floods came again and whatever effort we had put in to clean the house was washed away by the water. It was such a frustrating experience.
“We thought that the nightmare was over, only to be forced to go through it a second time.
“I really hope that is not the case this time, but we have to just be prepared,” he said when met at SK Pintas Puding here.
He added that while the floodwaters near his village seemed to have started receding since Thursday, he will not keep his hopes up.
“I think I will wait for a few days after the water has completely receded before doing any major clean-up or buy anything to replace the goods that have been destroyed in the floods.
“I do not want to go through the same frustrating experience (I went through) over a decade ago,” said the father of three.
Meanwhile, Anas Ramli, 21, who works in an oil palm plantation, said he is worried that his income would be affected further if a second wave of floods were to hit the area.
“Even if my house was not hit by the second wave of floods, the roads between the plantation area where I work and my house may be cut off, as it is now.
“I have not been able to work since the beginning of this month and I believe it will take at least two more weeks before I can resume work as usual.
“This means I have zero income right now and if there is a second wave, things will be so much worse,” he added.
Meanwhile, factory operator Noor Syahkira Md Aris, 26, who is eight months’ pregnant, hopes that the floods will be completely gone by the time her first child is born.
“I was around nine years old during the 2006-2007 floods and remember going to temporary relief centres twice.
“I hope (the situation) will not be the same this time, especially since I am going through my first pregnancy and my child is due to be born near Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
“It will not be easy to go through confinement while looking after a newborn at a temporary relief centre,” she added.
