Some flood victims finally get to go home
KUANTAN: Some flood victims in Pahang are being allowed to return home as floodwaters have started to recede in certain areas.
According to the Social Welfare Department website, the number of evacuees has dropped to 4,595 victims at 34 centres as at 2pm yesterday.
There were more than 9,000 people in the centres on Friday.
Father-of-three Nik Ihsan Ibrahim, 25, and his family were among those able to return home yesterday.
“I had a look at my house and it looks okay,” said the labourer who was housed at the relief centre in SJK (C) Chung Ching here.
“Most of the things in the house like our clothes and things in the kitchen are intact.
“My family and I are very grateful for all the provisions during our four-day stay at the centre. We were provided with everything we need- ed,” he said.
Welder Mohd Khairul Ikmal, 26, said some of the things in his house like the TV and cabinets were damaged but he is thankful that his wife and son are safe.
“We are glad to see the sun shining bright and that we can go home now,” said Khairul.
Housewife Zainawati Abu Bakar, 47, is another one happy to return home with her family.
“There was not much to do here the past four days, so we are happy that we can go home even though we will have to clean up the muck in the house,” said the mother of four at the SMK Tanah Putih centre.
In Pekan, Kampung Temai villagers were rescued on Thursday.
Some of them were trapped in floodwaters for nearly 10 hours before they were ferried by boats to a relief centre.
Villager Fatimah Mat Dun, 70, said: “I was starting to panic when told that the water level was rising but my neighbours kept calming me down.
“When I saw the rescue team, I felt so relieved,” she said.
The publicinfobanjir.water.gov. my portal of the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) reported that in Pekan, the Kuala Sungai Chini water level was at 15.72m, exceeding the danger level of 14.9m whereas Sungai Pahang in Paloh Inai recorded water level of 11.12m, above the danger level of 10.3m.
In Maran, Pahang, the Sungai Pahang in Lubuk Paku reached 19.80m, above the alert level of 19m as at 2pm yesterday.