Family spends 10 hours on roof beam as floods sweep across Pahang

KUANTAN: After spending 10 hours on the roof beam of her house, student Nur Aleeya Maisarah Mansor considers herself lucky to have survived the floods that inundated her home yesterday.

Relating her experience, she said she had not expected to face such a situation although her house had been flooded previously.

"Usually, although the area is prone to floods, the water would not rise to the front of the house, only to the road beside the house. We did not expect such a big flood to happen. For the first time ever, the water nearly reached the roof," she said when contacted by Bernama today.

According to her, the floodwaters had risen so fast that her house in Kampung Ajai, Dong, Raub, which was under renovation, began to be flooded at noon.

"By 2 pm, the water level had exceeded the hip, and we decided to climb onto the scaffolding used for the renovation...we climbed up using the ladder.

"The situation worsened by 5 pm, as the water had engulfed the staging, so we had to climb higher to the roof beam of the house.

"We did not have anything to eat since the morning, only some candy I had in my bag," said the single child.

Due to swift currents, Nur Aleeya Maisarah said she, her father Mansor Omar, 50, and mother Ayusyeila Zulaikha Subari, 44, were only evacuated by rescue personnel at 2.56 am before being placed at the evacuation centre at Dewan Serbaguna Kampung Pia.

"The security team tried repeatedly to save us but due to the heavy currents they were afraid the boat would overturn. But I am grateful that they finally managed to save us and I would like to thank everyone who sought help for us," she said.

Although they were saved, the family lost nearly all their possessions, including their car, clothes and electric appliances.

"We couldn't save anything, not books or even clothes...I hope the situation will improve soon," she added.

Raub district recorded 1,616 evacuees from 459 families at 46 relief centres as of 4 pm today.

-- BERNAMA