Neighbours help evacuate bed-ridden man to flood relief centre

MERSING, Jan 29 (Bernama) -- It was sheer relief for a desperate family when neighbours helped to transfer a bed-ridden member to a relief centre as floodwaters swamped their house in Jalan Sekakap, Kampung Sri Pantai here.

Norliza Abu Bakar said her husband Noorzihan Yahya, 48, was rendered immobile when his health deteriorated after he suffered a slipped-disc about three months ago.

The 41-year-old woman said this was her family’s first frantic experience to flee the floods with their evacuation to a relief centre at Politeknik Mersing on Tuesday.

“I had just reached home from work and it was pouring when the neighbours urged me to quickly move the car because floodwater was already ankle-high and lapping at the house, then they called the fire department to help extricate my husband.

“However, with the floodwater surging, I had to get help from my neighbours to lift my husband into the car to travel to the relief centre,” she told Bernama at the relief centre today.

The mother of one, who works as a delivery woman, said she only managed to save the carpet and left other household items including electrical appliances, to an unknown fate.

“We didn’t have time to save the electrical goods because we didn’t expect such an emergency considering that the house is located quite high and this being the first time it has been inundated,” she said.

Meanwhile, another victim, Suria Abdul Rahman, 37, said she did not have time to save the new bedroom set bought just last month because of fast-rising floodwater.

“At 2 pm, it was raining heavily and the big drain fronting the house was full to the brim, by Asar prayers the water was waist-high at the gate and up to the ankles inside the house since it is a little higher.

“My husband and I only had time to perch the refrigerator and washing machine in a higher place because we were busy with the kitchen and living room first,” said the mother of three.

The housewife said that with every downpour, her family would be restless in fear of floods and hoped the authorities can maintain the drains and rivers regularly.

-- BERNAMA