Teen Grateful As Bedridden Father Safely Evacuated Amid Sudden Flood

KULIM, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- Floods that hit several areas in Kulim has been described as among the worst ever experienced, as the water level rose rapidly after several hours of heavy rain yesterday.

A teenager from Kampung Padang Limau, here, Muhammad Haris Azmi, 17, said floodwater began rising around 5 pm yesterday and rose to about 0.5 metres by 8 pm.

He said the situation was particularly worrying as his father, Azmi Hashim, 57, is bedridden due to a stroke.

“I was at home with my mother and my brother. As the water started rising, we began discussing how to relocate our bedridden father.

“Thankfully, shortly after, we received a call from the Kulim Hospital and they sent an ambulance to help transfer my father to the temporary relief centre,” he told reporters at the Sekolah Menengah Agama Madrasah Ihsaniah relief centre in Kampung Jangkang, here today.

Another resident of Kampung Padang Limau, Jamaliah Bakar, 57, said many items in her home, including furniture and electrical appliances, could not be saved as the water surged rapidly.

“My house is located in a flood-prone area, but previously, we never had to evacuate because the water never rose this high. The last time we had a serious flood like this was in 2013, and now it’s happening again,” she said.

Meanwhile, R. Kasthuri, 41, said her home had not been flooded for a long time, but prolonged heavy rain this time caused a nearby river to overflow into the surrounding areas.

“This time, the flood is quite bad. We couldn’t save many belongings because the water rose too quickly, even my children’s school books couldn’t be saved,” said the kindergarten teacher.

Kedah Disaster Management Committee Secretariat in a statement said as of 4 pm today, a total of 1,007 victims from 311 families have been evacuated to eight relief centres in two districts.

Kulim recorded the highest number of evacuees, with 955 victims from 287 families relocated to seven relief centres, while another 52 victims from 24 families were placed at a relief centre in Kuala Muda.

-- BERNAMA