TELUK INTAN – “I am getting tired of cleaning my mud-filled house after floods every year,” said Rashidah Darus, 32, one of the villagers in Kg Batu 7 ½, Lorong Mesra in Changkat Jong here, who just returned to her house after the floodwater subsided yesterday.
She has been living there for 10 years with her husband, Zaini Mohd Imran, 45, and six children, who earlier sheltered at the temporary relief centre in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Abdul Rahman Talib when their house located near Sg Batang Padang was inundated, the water in some areas reaching neck level.
According to her, floods in the area have been getting worse in the past few years, with each flood destroying and damaging most house appliances and furniture.
“I bought most of the electrical appliances on instalments. They were destroyed before I could finish paying the instalments. I could not save any of them as the water came in very fast. All I could think of was saving myself and my children.
“I will take a week to clean up the house. When cleaning, I sometimes find a cobra or two hiding under the piles of clothes,” she said when met here today.
Meanwhile, Zakiah Hussain, 61, who could not hold back her tears during the interview, said her whole house was covered with mud while furniture and electrical appliances were destroyed.
“I only managed to save my car grant and personal identification documents in the incident last week.
“I cried when I entered my mud-filled house and the enormous task of cleaning everything confronted me,” said Zakiah, who has lived in the village for 20 years.
Rohayu Rasli, 32, said there were also many challenges with house-cleaning, especially with centipedes all over the house.
“It is really tiring washing everything, I am getting tired of this perennial calamity,” said Rohayu, who has been living in the house with her husband and three children for 10 years.
Yesterday, two relief centres in Hilir Perak, which were opened a week ago, were closed at 12.30pm when the stagnating floodwater finally receded and 95 victims from 24 families were allowed to return home. – Bernama, December 27, 2021
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