Flood victim watches helplessly as livestock is swept away by waters

Watching helplessly as her livestock was being swept away by floodwaters will remain an experience that will not be easily erased from Maznah Abu Bakar's memory, a flood victim from Kampung Gintong, Jerantut.

"Many other animals belonging to the villagers suffered the same fate, but we were unable to do anything other than just watch because our houses were also flooded," she said when contacted by Bernama, here on Monday.

Maznah, 44, an administrative assistant in Bernama's Feature Desk, was one of 157 residents from 32 families in Kampung Gintong who were trapped in the floods since last Tuesday.

"This is the worst flood ever experienced by the villagers, even worst than the one in 1971. When I returned to send my mother last Tuesday, Jerantut was flooded and we were forced to take a boat three times before reaching home.

"There was no time to pack, the water rose to waist level at night, forcing us to move to Sekolah Kebangsaan Gintong, but the next day we had to move again, as the school was also flooded and this time we moved to Balai Raya Kampung Bukit Puas," she said.

She said due to the lack of clean water supply for the past few days, she and the other victims had to use rain water and the murky flood waters for bathing and washing the few clothes they had.

However, she said the food supply was so far sufficient and that firefighters and soldiers sent food every day.

"For those willing to help, we are in dire need of clothes," she said.

Meanwhile, Jerantut District Officer Ali Syahbana Shahabuddin said, in an effort to provide clean water to the residents, water trucks were assigned to take water in 10 tanks until 3am, from the Damak Water Plant and supply it around that area.

"In Jerantut until late this evening there were 59 relief centres with 6,025 victims and we ensure that all victims receive adequate food supply," he said.