Family escapes floods in the nick of time, come to terms with losses

TANJUNG MALIM: "All my children's school supplies, bought three days ago, were washed away in front of our eyes," said housewife Nurhani Mat Yusuf, 46, who was placed at the Temporary Evacuation Centre, Kemas Office in Slim River here.

The mother of six, said one son who would be entering kindergarten, two primary school and one form two were all very excited to start the school session soon but sad when their school supplies including uniforms, school bags and shoes were destroyed in the disaster that hit their home.

Two other children had finished their schooling, she added.

"I bought them two pairs of school uniforms each, a school bags and a new pair of shoes quite early and did not think this would happen.

"During the incident at about 9.30 pm on Sunday, all the items were washed away after the cupboard overturned when our house was flooded up to thigh level but my first priority was to save my children," she told Bernama.

Nurhani, who has lived in Taman Slim Permai for the past 14 years with her husband Zulkifli Alharis, 53, who is a businessman, said they had never experienced such a severe flood in the area before. The floods which occurred in 2012 were only up to the ankle level.

She said the family was evacuated to the relief centre while waiting for the flood to recede and to clean the mud at their residence before it was safe to occupy.

Nurhani said she and her family have come to terms with the tragedy which also damaged the children's loan textbooks that had to be returned to the school, furniture and electronic items in the house such as television and washing machine.

"We also do not have a place to sleep because all the mattresses are damaged... thankfully Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad donated mattresses to flood victims here," he said.

She hoped the authorities would take immediate action to overcome the flood problem, especially since the school session would start soon.

She is also worried about the safety of the victims taking refuge at the relief centre during the COVID-19 situation.

As of this morning, 554 residents from 118 families had to take refuge at five evacuation centres in Muallim district after Kampung Slim Village, Kampung Balun and Kampung Kuala Slim were flooded.

Yesterday, Saarani was reported to have said that authorities had identified a broken bund in Sungai Slim, Slim River as one of the causes of severe flooding that hit the area and repair work was being carried out by the Irrigation and Drainage Department.

-- BERNAMA