BALING – The traumatic experience of the water surge incident last July 4 made most of the residents in several villages in Kupang here choose to stay in relief centres (PPS) even though the flood situation has recovered.
Khasima Kassim, 40, from Kg Padang Empang said she and her family were still worried about returning home as the weather was still cloudy.
“We were all traumatised by the recent water surge incident, we get anxious whenever it starts raining here. We will quickly leave our house because we are worried that the incident will recur,” she said when met at Dewan Terbuka Kg Padang Empang in Kupang here yesterday.
Khasima is among the 53 flood victims who are still taking shelter at the PPS after their homes were inundated by floodwaters following continuous rain for three hours Thursday.
The small trader also hopes that the government can immediately solve the flood problem in the area.
Another resident Mohd Dahry Abdul Latef, 64, said he and his wife can never forget the incident on July 4 and therefore they would always be cautious in facing the current uncertain weather conditions.
“For now, my wife and I choose to remain at the PPS. We will only return home when the weather improves and the water level at Sg Kupang drops (below danger level),” he said.
Meanwhile, Kampung Iboi Village Development and Security Committee chairman Abu Hasan Samah advised residents who live near the river or in low-lying areas to stay alert and be ready for evacuation if water starts to enter their houses. – Bernama, July 30, 2022
