[PHOTOS] ‘A durian tree saved me, but I lost the house’

KUALA LUMPUR – Despite losing her ancestral home, which was swept away during the massive floods in Hulu Langat, its lone occupant remains positive for her ordeal.

Rohana Mahfuz, 75, still cut a cheerful figure as she detailed her escape before the 52-year-old house located at Batu 18, Kg Jawa was completely obliterated by the heavy floods that hit the area last week.

Recalling her escape, Rohana said she only realised that the floodwaters were rising rapidly  after neighbours shouted at her to move her car across the road to avoid it being submerged.

She then ran out of the house and clung on to a durian tree close after noticing several pairs of slippers already floating.

Despite being on the tree, Rohana said, she had wanted to go inside her house again to save some important documents, but was unable to after some boys from the village sent her to a neighbouring house on higher ground.

The next morning, following a night of continuous rainfall, Rohana went to check her house following her subuh prayers but was surprised to see only the concrete steps left in its place.

Images of the inherited home from before and after the floods went viral on social media, garnering sympathy from netizens.

However, Rohana is not the only victim of tragedy, as many residents of Hulu Langat, especially in Batu 18, Kg Jawa, Taman Sri Nanding, and Sg Lui faced similar disaster.

Images of destruction and catastrophe continue to haunt affected residents in Hulu Langat, who are currently working hard to clean up their surviving properties.

The Vibes pixman SAIRIEN NAFIS was at the scene to record the residents’ ordeals. – The Vibes, December 25, 2021