SHOPS SHUTTERED IN FLOODS BUT SME TRADERS IN TUMPAT BITE THE BULLET

TUMPAT, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- The monsoon season not only changes river levels but also changes livelihoods. For several small and medium industry (SME) traders in this district, a week spent at temporary evacuation centres translates into lost income after homes and shops were inundated since the first wave of flooding hit last Sunday.

For Norizan Jusoh, 56, a single mother from Kampung Periuk who has run the 'Kak Zae Aye Cobek' eatery for the past three years, this flood has completely shuttered her livelihood.

"The water is knee-high in the shop. The shop is submerged on both sides. Usually the water rises for a short while and I can still do business, but this time the water is deep, this week alone I lost more than RM500," the mother of six told Bernama at the SK Kubang Batang relief centre here.

Norizan said that since being housed at the centre, she had been completely dependent on aid. 

Today, her son was able to inspect the shop as floodwaters recede, but the situation is still precarious due to mudflow from a nearby housing project.

Trader Fadli Yatif, 48, from Kampung Talak also suffered losses after his aluminium glass shop he has been running for eight years was flooded ankle-deep, while his house was almost submerged thigh-high.

Raw materials like plywood and aluminium for cabinet-making were damaged, leading to losses of almost RM2,000.

“This flood was unexpected. Maybe the drainage was blocked, so the water rose quickly,” he said.

For Rosdi Mat, 61, a vegetable seller from Kampung Bendang Luas, the floods disrupted his daily routine of going to the morning market after the water rose to his calf in the kitchen, forcing him to evacuate early with no time to save his sales stock.

“I sell vegetables all over Tumpat. When I stay in the relief centre, I can’t trade, my income is badly affected,” said Rosdi, who has been in the business for 11 years.

A biscuit, cake and pudding trader from Kampung Menjual, Siti Fatimah Ab Latif, 33, said her house was flooded to the knees inside and waist-high outside, forcing her family to move to the relief centre.

"Our weekly income of RM100 is gone. My husband is a labourer with no work when it rains," she said.

All the traders wish for now is for the weather to improve so they can clean their homes and shops and resume business to support their beleaguered families.

-- BERNAMA