Lucky escape for 11 as Kota Belud house collapses
Published on: Friday, July 03, 2020
By: R Gonzales
The house belonging to Ledah.
KOTA BELUD: A family of 11 had their lucky stars to thank after their house at Kg Lebak Engad, here, collapsed.“We saw our house crumbling down before our eyes and thank God for protecting us from harm,” said single mother, Ledah Ajah @ Ideris, 51.
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Ledah, who was among flood victims in the area, said she stayed in the house with her four children, four grandchildren and two-in-laws after her husband died eight years ago. She recalled how villagers came to help them evacuate to higher ground at 10pm on Saturday.
“Everything happened so quickly, the river was overflowed, we had no time to salvage our belongings due to the strong currents,” she said.
She said all they could do at that time was to pray to God for protection as they huddled in the boat which had to go against the currents to other residents houses on higher ground.
“The next day, the Civil Defence Force came and helped us evacuate to the Temporary Flood Relief Centre at about 9am,” she said.
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She said she and 35 other residents are still sheltered at the Dewan Masyarakat Tun Said and have not been allowed to return home yet. “Even if we were allowed to go home, where are we to go?”
“We have nothing and can only hope for assistance from the relevant parties,” she said.
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Meanwhile, Kota Belud Civil Defence Force Officer, Jimmy Alberto Tining said a total of 36 flood victims are still sheltered at the district’s temporary relief shelter as at 6pm.
“They comprise eight families from villages which are still inundated by the floods,” he said, adding that villages involved Kampung Lebak Engad, Kampung Taun Gusi II and Kampung Wakap.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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