BUTTERWORTH: The rain was not heavy, yet residents at the edge of Seberang Perai watched wide-eyed as Sungai Kulim swelled and burst its banks.
The river was unable to hold the deluge of water that came from sustained downpours pounding the river’s upstream near Gunung Bongsu in Kedah, about 25km away.
When the banks gave way, the waters then swept into nearby villages, washing away belongings and destroying homes.
Nor Ain Abu Bakar, 64, had gone to Alor Setar with her family when the flood hit Kampung Desa Puri in Tasek Gelugor, on Saturday.
“We returned on Sunday to find our house submerged up to the waist-level.
“All our electrical appliances, clothes and belongings are gone. Some were just swept away by the floodwaters,” she said, weeping.
She said she was grateful her mother was safe.
Her mother Rohanah Bakar, 80, said she and the other villagers could only watch as the river water gushed into their village shortly after Maghrib prayers.
“My son and I moved our electrical items to higher ground,” she said, adding that the last time a major flood hit her home was in 2017.
Then, waters rose to chest level.
Rohanah and her daughter were among 108 victims from 28 families taking shelter at the temporary relief centre at Dewan Kampung Desa Puri.
Another resident, Azli Ahmad, 48, also said it had been eight years since his home was last hit by a major flood.
“In 2017, floodwaters completely submerged my house,” he said.
Besides Dewan Kampung Desa Puri, two other centres were opened for flood victims.
At SK Pengkalan Jaya, 85 people from 18 families remained, while SK Lahar Yooi is sheltering 169 people from 46 families.
