Jasin Flood: The Water Rose Too Fast, Say Residents

JASIN, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- Residents in this district have described the ongoing flood disaster as one of the worst they have ever experienced, with water levels rising rapidly.

A resident of Kampung Kilang Berapi, Siti Rasyidah Ibrahim, 26, said that heavy downpours for over an hour in the early morning caused the river to overflow, resulting in her home submerged in waist-deep water.

“I was still awake at 2 am because the roof in my room was leaking, and I was also on alert (for possible flooding).

“Although flood is common in this village, this was the first time the water rose this high. I managed to save important documents and move some electrical appliances as the water started rising,” she told reporters at the temporary relief centre at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dang Anum today.

Another resident, Abdul Rahman Muhamad, 30, said the sudden surge in floodwaters may have been caused by the closure of water gates due to the high tide phenomenon.

He said continuous rain from 2 am until 4 am worsened the situation, causing their home to be flooded up to waist level.

“My mother’s house is the benchmark in the area. If it gets flooded, it means other homes nearby are also at risk. As of noon, her house is still surrounded by water,” he said.

Meanwhile, Zainon Md Rasul, 52, from Jalan Paya Lengkong 1, said she saw the river near her house overflowing at around 5 am, but her family managed to save electrical appliances, including their refrigerator and washing machine.

“Floods happen here every three to four years, but we didn’t expect it to affect our home this time. We accept this as fate and are thankful we saved what we could. We hope the situation will improve soon,” she added.

-- BERNAMA