PAKA: The worsening flood conditions and rapidly rising water levels in Kampung Pinang Merah here forced two families to take swift action to ensure the safety of their loved ones.
Anuar Ahmad, 48, had to wade through waist-deep water for about 100 metres in the rain with his family to carry his wheelchair-bound father-in-law, Abdul Ghani, 83, to the car and evacuate him to the temporary relief centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Nyior, located about three kilometres from their home.
"The water began rising at 9.30pm and kept increasing rapidly, which was unusual. We started packing our things at 7pm after receiving a warning about the high tide.
"My father-in-law suffers from gout and is paralysed. We requested to stay on the ground floor at the relief centre to make it easier for him,” he said when met by Bernama here.
He said that they had remained vigilant, as his father-in-law’s house, where he lives with his wife, Zaharah Jusoh, 75, had previously been flooded up to chest level.
A Bernama survey at the location last night revealed that several areas, especially villages near Sungai Paka, were flooded waist-deep due to Saturday's high tide phenomenon in Terengganu.
Resident Mohd Lafi Mohamad, 59, whose family made early preparations to evacuate, said the high tide this time was unusual, as the water level began to rise rapidly after evening prayers.
"Kampung Pinang Merah is located near Sungai Paka, with around 200 to 300 houses. We are familiar with flooding, but this time we are more concerned due to the reported dangerous river levels," he said.
Meanwhile, in Jertih, a man had to swim one kilometre through floodwaters to get food after the Toyota Hilux he was driving got stranded for nearly 10 hours due to high water levels on an alternative route in Kampung Padang Luas.
Mohamad Syafiq Sulaiman, 31, who runs a transport business, said around 4.50pm last Friday, he and his two friends were on their way back to Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan, after delivering a customer’s motorcycle in Lata Tembakah.
"Our attempt to turn back also failed because the main road we had taken earlier was flooded due to heavy rains," he said when met at the Kampung Padang Tapong relief centre. - Bernama
