Desperate times call for desperate measures, and it doesn’t get much more desperate than a natural disaster.
It is claimed that a man and his family were trapped in neck-deep water for hours following flash floods across Perak, forcing them to stay afloat by clinging to a drying rack and other household objects while awaiting help.
Is this true?
Verdict:
True
In a last-ditch effort to save himself and his family from being swept away by the flood, a Taiping man, along with his wife and their two young daughters, clung to a clothes drying rack.
To save the children, he made a makeshift “life raft” out of the lid of an icebox.
Suhaziman Mohd Suhaimi, 35, said he had no other choice as the water rose rapidly, reaching neck level within minutes.
The Taman Larah Damai resident added that his family was trapped in their compound for nearly three hours before finally being rescued by authorities.
A video showing Suhaziman clinging to the rack while holding the ice box lid with his children, including a four-month-old, on it has since gone viral on social media.
Taman Larah Damai is among several areas affected by floods in the Larut Matang Selama and Manjung districts in Perak. Over 2,000 residents have been forced to evacuate to 22 relief centres.
Suhaziman, who works at Taiping Hospital, said he was unable to save any belongings, including important documents, his car and his motorcycle, due to the sudden, severe flooding.
