Floods: Segamat goat breeder's pen ends up a 'floating zoo''

SEGAMAT: Abdul Razif Abdul Rahman's goat pen in Kampung Tekam near here has been looking like a floating zoo after Sungai Chondan nearby overflowed recently.

The situation has resulted in 80 goats belonging to the breeder being herded in a barn in the flood-hit area.

"Usually these goats will be released to roam on the nearby grassy area but due to the floods, I had to confine the goats to the barn only.

"This area is besieged because the main road is closed due to flooding and the livestock cannot be freed to graze because it is close to the river and the floodwaters are showing no sign of receding anytime soon," he told Bernama when met on Thursday.

The young entrepreneur also suffered losses when his new duck coop was also submerged and 30 of his 50 ducks have gone missing.

The father of two said that following the floods, he had to commute by boat to get feed for his livestock in Segamat town and find grass for goats from unflooded areas.

"I have made initial preparations to buy feed for livestock but with the floodwaters not receding, I had to go out by boat to find food," he said.

Checks in Kampung Tekam found that the road connecting Bukit Kepong and Segamat town was flooded and with more than 50 families in the area losing contact, an aid distribution centre was opened to supply residents with aid from the government and non-governmental organisations.

The aid can only be sent by boat and some residents who have their own vessels have to use the river route to Segamat town which takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

-- BERNAMA