Floods catch residents by surprise

Water everywhere: Members from the Fire and Rescue Department helping evacuate flood victims in Kubang Pasu. — Bernama

RANTAU PANJANG: The drastic rise in water levels overnight due to torrential continuous rain caught many residents in Kelantan by surprise.

A family of six in Rantau Panjang had to take to social media to plead for an immediate rescue after their home in a low-cost housing area behind the Pantai Timur supermarket was submerged by floodwaters early yesterday.

Siti Farah Zulaika Ibrahim, 32, told Sinar Harian that she, along with her three children and elderly parents, were trapped inside their house as water levels rose to 0.4m indoors.

“I can’t get out to save ourselves because the water current is too strong.

“My husband is not home... he’s on his way back from Kuala Lumpur but has been stranded in Kampung Padang Licin after the road in Pekan Rantau Panjang was flooded,” she said.

Siti Farah Zulaika had shared her appeal on Facebook, asking the public for assistance to evacuate her family to safety.

Roslan Mohd Nor trying to get his harvest of cassavas to dry land before it is ruined by floodwaters.— Bernama

She said floodwaters outside the house had risen to over 1.2m, with currents too dangerous to cross.

In KUALA NERANG, Kedah, a woman suffering from a neurological condition and full-body paralysis was rescued by the Fire and Rescue Department after her home in Kampung Tanjung was inundated yesterday.

Norsiah Saad, 50, said her house had been flooded since 6am, leaving her and her three children trapped and unable to leave.

“Thank you to the team (firefighters) for helping me,” she said yesterday.

A coffeeshop in Kuala Berang remaining open for residents who were waiting out the flood.— Bernama

“I have been paralysed due to a neurological condition for the past six months and couldn’t do anything until my child called the emergency line.

“I have been bedridden since I returned from the hospital two months ago.

“I couldn’t continue follow-up treatment at the hospital due to a lack of transportation,” she added.

Kuala Nerang fire and rescue station chief Aminuddin Mad Khozali said they received an emergency call at 3pm reporting that the victim’s house was flooded.

A woman wading through a flooded field. — Bernama

“My team and I arrived at the location to find the road to the victim’s house at Jalan Kampung Tanjung cut off by nearly a metre of water.

“We successfully evacuated the victim and her children before transferring them into an ambulance to be sent to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar,” he said.