JERTIH: A medical assistant has recalled how he, his wife and their son stared death in the face during an attack by enraged wild elephants at KM55 of the East-West Highway near the Titiwangsa Rest Area on Sunday.
Mohd Azian Mohd Noor, 48, his wife Salina Yahya, 47, and their eldest son Muhammad Nazrin Shah, 23, were in a Perodua Axia car returning from Penang to their home in Kampung Gong Kepas here.
“After leaving Gerik (in Perak), we arrived at a sharp bend in the road. It was drizzling and misty. The time was about 7.30pm.
“Just after the bend, I saw two calf elephants crossing the highway about 10m in front of us.
“I realised that there were four adult elephants on the left of the road,” he told Bernama when met at his home.
Mohd Azian said he slammed the brakes but the car struck one of the calves, propelling the animal onto the bonnet and then to the ground.
Immediately, several of the adult elephants charged at the car and relentlessly trampled the left side and rear of the vehicle, he said.
“My wife, who was seated in the rear, screamed and said all of us were surely going to be killed. The elephants trampled on the left doors of the car and smashed the rear windscreen.
“It was a most frightening moment because the elephants were trumpeting loudly.
“We were worried that they would topple the car,” Moh Azian said.
He said his wife began reciting prayers and the fallen calf got to its feet while the car rolled forward due to the incline of the road.
He said he restarted the car and sped away from the spot.
Mohd Azian, who works at the Kampung Raja Health Clinic here, expressed gratitude that his family emerged unscathed. He had lodged a report about the incident at the Jeli police station.
