BUKIT MERTAJAM, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- Initial assistance, including flood relief kits, has been provided to 36 flood victims from 10 families in Kampung Kubang Semang here, who are taking shelter at a temporary relief centre in Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Penanti.
Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) district officer Datuk Kamarul Haizal Koderat said the victims were evacuated after their homes were inundated following heavy rain at about 2.30 pm yesterday.
“Four classrooms are being used to accommodate the victims, while initial assistance, including flood relief kits and other aid, has also been provided.
“So far, only residents in one area, Kampung Kubang Semang, were evacuated. Flooding also occurred in Kampung Mengkuang Titi, but the situation is under control and evacuation is not necessary,” he told reporters after visiting the relief centre today.
Kamarul Haizal, who is also SPT District Disaster Management Committee chairman, said regular monitoring is being carried out by the Village Community Management Council (MPKK), the District and Land Office, the Malaysian Civil Defence Force, the Fire and Rescue Department and the People’s Volunteer Corps (RELA).
One of the flood victims, Ab Ghani Abdullah, 49, said he rushed back from his hometown in Perlis after being told his rented house had been inundated.
“I returned to my hometown with my wife and two children on Friday. I had a bad feeling about the weather here, so I moved my car to higher ground, but I didn't have time to move my motorcycle.
“Yesterday evening, the MPKK called to inform me that the house had been flooded. I arrived here at about 10 pm but could not enter the house because the water had not receded. We then went to register at the relief centre,” he said, adding that floodwater had reached waist level inside his house.
Ab Ghani said his house had frequently been flooded during the six years he had lived there, with the area hit by floods four times so far this year.
Another victim, Khairun Najwa Md Noor, 37, said this was the second time her home had been affected by floods in just over a month.
The factory manager said yesterday’s incident caused the water level to rise rapidly, almost reaching waist level.
“The previous flood reached knee level, and we had not even finished cleaning up when the water rose again yesterday. It is exhausting having to go through all this again,” she said.
-- BERNAMA