MERSING, Jan 13 ― The residents of Kampung Air Papan Tengah here had to reluctantly move to a temporary evacuation centre (PPS) last night, even though it has only been four days since they had returned home after the last flood.
Amran Saliman, 64, said he and his family moved to the PPS at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Air Papan at 11am yesterday after the water in the kitchen of their home quickly rose to thigh-level following heavy rain.
The father of four said his family had to wade through the floodwaters to save themselves.
“I just came home last Sunday, now I already have to go to PPS again. Even the fatigue has not completely gone away. The floods are worse this time because of the high tide and the continuous heavy rain.
“Fortunately, the valuables and important documents were saved. I will also go home every now and then to make sure that the items left behind are safe,” he told Bernama when met at his home today.
Twenty-five-year-old Siti Suhaida Ariffin, a resident of Kampung Tenglu, said that although she faces the problem of flooding every year, this time the disaster was the worst because the water rose quickly.
“It is true that we face floods every year, but before the water was only up to our ankles, now it is up to our waist. My family did not have time to do anything when the water rose quickly at around 10am and only thought about saving our lives.
“Many items in the house could not be saved, including sofas, clothes, washing machine, refrigerator and television, because we did not expect the flood to come so suddenly this time,” said Siti Suhaida, who has been taking shelter at PPS SK Tenglu since yesterday.
Meanwhile, Mersing district APM officer, Captain (PA) Nurnajibah Abdullah advised all residents to be vigilant, especially in case of flooding, which is expected to continue until Monday, if it continues to rain heavily.
“We ask the public to be extra vigilant during this time and to always heed the weather forecasts and warnings issued by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).
“At the same time, you should always prioritise the safety of yourself and your family and follow the instructions of the relevant authorities if you are asked to relocate,” she said.
Yesterday, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the state government and the State Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) are ready with pumps to drain out flood water following further warnings of bad weather and high tides in some districts in the state.
As at 11am, the number of flood victims in Johor stood at 4,964 people in 34 PPSs in Kota Tinggi, Mersing, Kluang, Segamat, Johor Baru and Batu Pahat. ― Bernama
