ALOR SETAR: Abd Rahman Said gets tense, and his heart beats faster whenever it rains heavily. And he would pray.
The 72-year-old lost his wife Salmah Mat Akib, 53; stepson Mohd Khairul Ikhwan Nor Azman, 14; and daughter-in-law Nurul Anis Abu Hassan, 23, in the floods and water surge incident in Kampung Iboi, Baling, in July last year. Nurul Anis was four months’ pregnant.
Besides claiming four lives and affecting 1,000 residents, the floods and water surge incident also saw losses estimated at RM28mil.
And Rahman prays that nobody else will lose their loved ones and go through what he suffered.
“Every time it rains, my heart pounds, and I fear the worst.
“I miss my wife very much. She was a good homemaker. It pains me whenever I return to Kampung Iboi,” he said.
Although he is now in a house provided by the state government in Desa Kampung Keda Sadek in Kupang, about 10km away, the tragedy in Kampung Iboi is still fresh in his mind.
During the flood, reported to be the worst-ever in the district, 85 houses were destroyed, with nine completely washed away.
The bodies of Nurul Anis and Salmah were found embracing each other under a pile of logs about 100m from their house, while Khairul Ikhwan Nor Azman’s remains were found not far away the following day.
Another Kampung Iboi resident, Azhar Md Isa, 37, also said the sight of dark clouds makes him nervous and scared.
“We fear we could lose our house,” said the odd-job worker, who is prepared to move to higher ground any time if it floods.
“After the tragedy last year, we packed all important documents into a bag. We can just move out if we see water starts rising.
“We hope the government can expedite flood mitigation work in Sungai Kupang, so water from the hill will not gush into the villages,” he said.
Ahmad Shukri Mat Piah, 52, from Kampung Bukit Iboi, which is located a few hundred metres from Kampung Iboi, fears something bad could happen during the monsoon season.
“There will be more rain, and this is not good for us,” he said.
He urged the government to expedite the construction of sabo dams in Gunung Inas to slow down the Sungai Kupang water flow at its peak.
A sabo dam stores sediment and discharge, preventing them from gushing downstream.
Meanwhile, Kedah Civil Defence Force (APM) disaster management secretariat chief Mejar (PA) Muhammad Suhaimi Mohd Zain said villagers in Kampung Iboi and other hotspots in Kedah should always be prepared for any eventuality during the monsoon season.
“Please be alert for any signs of flooding or water surges.
“If there are instructions from authorities to relocate, please move to a safer place,” he said.
