GOUT-STRICKEN WOMAN ENDURES SIX HOURS OF PAIN IN FLOOD-SUBMERGED HOME

BACHOK, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- A woman suffering from gout had to stand in floodwaters for six hours before being rescued by Kelantan Civil Defence Force (APM) personnel and taken to a temporary relief centre (PPS) at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Beris Panchor, here.

Mazlina Mohamed, 45, said her home was flooded with water up to nearly one meter from 7 am and she was rescued at 3 pm.

“I had to stand in the water and endure the pain as my family had just moved into this rented house two months ago and we still do not have any furniture.

“This is our first experience relocating to a PPS due to flooding. We rented the house despite knowing the area is flood-prone because it is our only option, and the rent is affordable at RM300 a month,” she said when met at the SMK Beris Panchor PPS today.

Mazlina, her husband 45-year-old husband Mohd Riduan Harun and their 19-year-old daughter Nur Aliya Maisarah Mohd Riduan moved to the PPS after being instructed by the authorities.

Mazlina, who has been suffering from gout for the past two years and whose condition worsened over the past week, said she was promptly treated by the district health centre (PKD) staff at the PPS.

Meanwhile, another flood victim, Yasmin Syafiqah Anuar, 29, recalled being unable to sleep the night before as water began flooding irrigation canals and paddy fields near her home. 

“I moved to the Kampung Budi housing area four months ago and didn’t know it was flood-prone. I started packing and moving items to higher ground.

“By 8 am, with water levels rising to nearly one metre, we were instructed by the authorities to evacuate and were transported to the PPS by Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) personnel,” she said.

Yasmin said she chose to rent her current home because of its proximity to her husband’s workplace in Kota Bharu. Her husband, Mohd Junaidi Mohd Ikbal, 33, works with the local council, and she was accompanied by their three children: Muhamad Danish Irfan, 8, Muhammad Danial Anaqi, 3, and Nur Dahlia Elina, 1.

Bachok District Disaster Management Committee chairman Syamsul Abu Bakar said 40 flood victims from 11 families were relocated to the SMK Beris Panchor PPS yesterday.

“The PPS residents are provided with adequate facilities, including collapsible tents for each family. If the family is large, we provide additional resources to ensure their comfort.

“Once the victims arrive at the PPS, they are given retort-packaged ready-to-eat meals. We also work together to cook rice in a designated area to serve meals three times a day for the flood victims,” he said.

Syamsul said that with support from the Social Welfare Department (JKM), led by Bachok JKM officer Zulfikri Abd Wahab, flood evacuees were provided with other essentials such as biscuits, packet drinks, mattress covers, blankets, towels, sarongs and hygiene kits.

He said the flood evacuees are cared for by personnel from several agencies, including JKM, MAF, APM and PKD, involving 15 staff members who are working in shifts.

-- BERNAMA