PETALING JAYA: Relocating is a subject that is almost never considered by those living in flood-prone areas in Kelantan.
Mohd Nazri Abdullah, 42, from Kampung Gual Arang, Rantau Panjang, said his parents’ house gets flooded every year as it is only 8km away from Sungai Golok.
He said every year during the northeast monsoon season, he would return to assist his parents to ensure they evacuate in time and that the house remains safe.
“My father is 81 and my mother is 76. This time, the waters rose very quickly and the level is worse than in 2014. This is the worst flooding we have ever experienced in this area.
“We managed to move away as we usually get early alerts when the level of Sungai Golok rises.
“Back in 2014, the level was at 10.84m. This time, it was up to 11.52m.
“This house which my parents are staying in get flooded every year – and the families around here are usually prepared for it. The estimate of damage to each family differs as it depends on the furniture and appliances they own. Usually, for my parents, the average is RM1,000 to RM3,000,” said Mohd Nazri.
He said abandoning the location never crossed their minds as the land has been owned for generations.
“For my neighbours too, it is the same – the land has been passed down from generation to generation. On top of sentimental value, it is not easy for my parents or our neighbours to just move away and buy new land and build a new home elsewhere.
“This is our land and we will stay on it, flood or no flood,” said Mohd Nazri, who works in Kuala Lumpur.
For secondary school teacher Haslina Ibrahim, 58, from Kota Baru, the trauma of the 2014 flood still haunts her every time the northeast monsoon hits.
“I had left for Kuala Lumpur in 2014, thinking the floods would be usual. However, on returning to Kota Baru, I was stranded at the airport for a couple of days, had to take a truck to get through the waters, but could not reach my house as the roads were flooded.
“I then had to put up at a budget hotel for days with my two small children without food.
“This time, the floods have yet to reach the house I stay at in Kota Baru, but with the second wave alert to arrive next week, there has been panic buying, with many of the stores in Kota Baru running out of bread, instant noodles and rice.
“People have started hoarding. I only managed to get hold of chocolates and other stuff as emergency supplies just in case we get cut off, as I was in 2014,” said Haslina.
Still, she pointed out that the Kelantanese have mostly accepted floods as an annual event.
“If you look at some of the areas in Kuala Krai, where the flood started receding last Sunday, the people are very relaxed about it, and are treating it as a ‘water festival’ by opening up stalls and as such,” she said.
“Most of us own traditional houses in the flooded areas and know how to survive. We Kelantanese take it as it comes.”
