Bintulu Flood Victim Shares Harrowing Escape As Waters Surge Unexpectedly

By ZAPHNE PHILIP

KUCHING, Feb 1 (Bernama) -- A flood victim from Bintulu shared a chilling account of the flood that unexpectedly submerged her home last Wednesday, forcing her family to make a desperate escape in the early hours of the morning.

Helen Naja, 31, recounted how, in the darkness before dawn, floodwaters slowly began to rise around her home, initially thought to be just a typical occurrence.

"By 4 am, the water started flooding the floor of our house. We thought it was just water collecting, but then it started rising fast," Helen said.

At the time, her two children, one just a month old and the other four years old, were fast asleep. In a state of panic, Helen and her husband were unsure if the water would subside or if they would need to evacuate immediately.

However, the floodwater didn’t wait long. It quickly surged to knee level, forcing Helen to scoop up her baby while wrapping her elder child in a thick blanket. “We prayed we could get to safety in time,” she recalled.

When the family attempted to contact the fire department for help, they were told that emergency services were overwhelmed by calls from other affected areas.

“It was disappointing. They couldn’t assist us, so we had no choice but to act on our own,” Helen said.

As the water continued to rise, reaching chest height, Helen’s family and their neighbours in the Pearl Garden housing area on Jalan Sibiyu rushed to higher ground, seeking refuge on a nearby hill while waiting for help. But the situation only worsened.

"With no shelter, no food, and our car being the only form of protection, we waited through the night, hoping for daylight. The water didn’t seem to recede, and we were terrified," she added.

The floodwaters finally began to subside the following day, but the damage had already been done.

"When we returned home, it was heartbreaking to see all our belongings destroyed. Memories, important documents, and personal items - everything was gone in an instant," she said.

Tragically, Helen also lost one of her pet cats to the flood. 

She appealed to the authorities for immediate aid, urging them to provide essential supplies such as rice and mattresses to help the affected residents.

-- BERNAMA