FELDA MATA AYER HIT BY WORST FLOODS IN OVER 40 YEARS

PADANG BESAR, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- For the first time in over 40 years, Felda Mata Ayer was hit by floods, forcing residents to evacuate to a relief centre.

Most residents met by Bernama at Dewan Semai Bakti, Felda Mata Ayer, said they were caught unprepared for the monsoon floods.

Having lived in the Felda settlement for 41 years, Rokiah Man, 64, said she had never experienced such severe flooding.

“I never thought a flood like this would happen. Previously, the water would rise slightly and then recede quickly. It’s never been this bad, and now I’ve had to move to the centre...it’s my first time staying here. I used to only see flood victims at relief centres on TV, but now I’m experiencing it myself,” she said.

Rokiah said flooding around her house began at about 10am yesterday, with water rising quickly from ankle-deep to waist level.

“Fortunately, my family managed to move electrical appliances onto a higher place and my son got the car to a safe spot,” she said.

Another resident Rahayani Suboh, 38, said she had never seen flooding this bad in her 12 years living with her in-laws in the settlement, and it was her first time staying at a relief centre.

“Even though it had rained heavily before, we had never seen floods like this. The rain from midnight on Saturday until around 11 am yesterday caused the water to rise to waist level.

“My family didn’t have time to prepare and only managed to lift the refrigerator to a higher place,” she said.

Despite the ordeal, the two flood victims said they were comfortable with the facilities at the relief centre and had adapted well to the situation.

As of 8pm today, Perlis Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) director Lieutenant Colonel (PA) Mohd Izaimi Md Daud reported that 2,017 flood evacuees from 594 families were sheltering in nine relief centres across Padang Besar, Arau, and Kangar.

--BERNAMA