VILLAGERS CAUGHT BY SURPRISE AS SWIFT SURGING FLOOD HITS KG FELDA AIR TAWAR 1

By Nur Fatin Mohmad Kadenen

KOTA TINGGI, March 23 (Bernama) -- Villagers of Kampung Felda Air Tawar 1 were caught by surprise after swift surging floodwaters inundated their homes, causing some to have to cling to poles to save themselves from being swept away early this morning.

Villager Anizah Ali, 57, said everyone failed to realise that the flood would hit, as the water level in the river rose drastically at about 3 am to surge into their homes, especially those next to the river and she counted herself fortunate to have escaped from the chest-high waters to higher ground.

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“We didn’t expect it would flood as last Wednesday the floods hit Kota Tinggi and not our village, but early this morning the water rose so quickly like a surge. Everything at home, including my Raya cookies, the motorcycle and car couldn’t be saved,” she told Bernama when met here today.

Her sister Halimah, 53, who lives next door, said she managed to save herself by clinging on to a house pillar for over 20 minutes before the floodwaters dropped slightly.

“Thankfully my son tethered a line for us to walk because the currents were so strong, but I’m grateful all of us are safe,” she said.

Villager Nureita Amat Pale, 36, meanwhile shared that she and her husband were unable to save their cars and all their belongings at home from the flash floods, and that it would take quite some time to clean her house that was filled with mud

Village chief Abdul Rashid A Samad shared that 111 houses and about 500 households were affected by the floods, which also caused a bridge at the village to collapse.

He expressed hope that the state government would be able to present some aid to affected villagers as Aidilfitri was just around the corner.

-- BERNAMA