SUNGAI SIPUT: A resident braved rising floodwaters in trying to save important documents during a flood that hit Kampung Lintang here on Sunday (Oct 14).
However, Zarul Nizam Zakaria, 31, a factory worker who had left home to visit his brother in Batu Gajah on Saturday (Oct 13), was unable to save anything as his house was completely submerged.
"I was informed by the villagers that the water had risen, so my children, wife, and I rushed back.
When we arrived at the town road in Lintang, the water had already risen. I left my wife and children at the Temporary Evacuation Centre (PPS) for the affected residents, then drove back, but the road to our house was flooded.
"I swam about 300m through the floodwaters to reach home, but I was disheartened because everything was already submerged," he said when met here on Sunday night.
Zarul Nizam said this was the second time his village had experienced severe flooding since 2014.
In the flooding incident in Sungai Siput at 8am on Sunday, hundreds of residents from five villages were forced to evacuate after heavy continuous rain since the previous day caused certain areas to be hit.
The flood submerged the police station, school and mosque in Kampung Lintang.
Meanwhile, Kampung Lintang village head Noriman Harun said that as of yesterday morning, around 350 residents from 90 families were relocated to the PPS Dewan Orang Ramai Kg Lintang before being moved again to PPS Dewan Kg Baru Cina as the earlier PPS was also flooded.
"However, another challenge arose when the electricity supply at PPS Dewan Kg Baru Cina was cut off, and on the advice of the district officer, residents had to be moved to PPS Dewan Pandak Hamid at the Orang Asli One-Stop Center in Bawong for their comfort.
"The water rose very quickly, reaching a dangerous level of about 5.4 meters, and a second wave is expected, so all residents in the affected villages are urged to relocate to the PPS," he said.
A resident, Amirah Solehah Zamiri, 21, who was met at the PPS, said she and six other family members, including her 11-month-old child, were forced to move twice after the two PPS were flooded and the electricity supply was cut off.
Although her house is located on higher ground and was less affected, she and her family decided to evacuate for their safety. - Bernama
