MOTHER BRAVES FLOODWATERS FOR 500 METRES WITH BABY IN ARMS

TASEK GELUGOR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- A mother’s instinct to protect her child compelled a woman to wade through nearly a metre of floodwater for over 500 metres while carrying her five-month-old baby after their home in Labuh Banting here was submerged on Friday.

Suria Abdul Hadi, 34, said she could only surrender to fate as she trudged through the water to reach the main road before heading to the temporary relief centre (PPS) at Dewan Banjir Labuh Banting about 11 am.

The housewife, who lives with her husband, Muhammad Razmi Muhammad, 35, and their two children, Muhammad Rayyan Shaffyie, eight, and Amanda Lufia, five months, said heavy rain began on Thursday evening and floodwaters started entering nearby houses around midnight.

“We noticed water entering the house around 1 am while we were asleep. Thankfully, our home has two storeys,” she told reporters at the PPS today.

“By midnight, some homes were already flooded, so my husband and I moved electrical items upstairs. But by early morning, the water rushed in quickly, rising to almost a metre,” she added.

As the water level rose, Suria and her husband decided to leave their house, located near a river. She carried the baby while her husband held their son and brought along some essentials.

She said she was grateful that they had been kept safe despite being drenched by rain while wading through the floodwaters, adding that both children were in good health and that it was hoped the water would recede soon.

“This is the third consecutive day our home has been flooded and incidents like this have become common during the rainy season. The worst was in 2017 when the water reached my neck while I was pregnant with my first child,” she said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid said fewer than 10 per cent of flood victims in Penang have been allowed to return home, with authorities still monitoring conditions to ensure safety.

He noted that as weather conditions improved and floodwaters receded in several areas, more victims could be allowed to return home later today or tomorrow upon clearance from relevant agencies, including the health authority.

Mohamad advised victims to remain cautious, maintain hygiene and follow official instructions. He thanked all agencies involved, including the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), the police, the Welfare Department (JKM) and the Civil Defence Force (APM), for managing the evacuation and relief efforts.

“Everything is under control and well-coordinated with the involvement of all relevant agencies and district offices. Having faced similar incidents before, we were better prepared this time. Alhamdulillah, management has been smooth over the past three days,” he said.

He added that apart from zakat aid from the Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP), affected residents will also receive assistance from the TYT Disaster Relief Fund.

As of this morning, 1,049 people from 295 families remained at seven PPS across three districts in Penang. Seberang Perai Utara was the worst affected, recording 781 victims from 217 families, followed by Seberang Perai Tengah with 234 victims from 68 families in two PPS, while Barat Daya recorded 34 victims from 10 families in one PPS.

-- BERNAMA