KOTA MARUDU: Flash flood victims sheltering at the evacuation centre (PPS) set up at Sekolah Kebangsaan Taritipan, here, want to be allowed to go home now that floodwaters are receding.
Some 324 people (80 families) – mostly Bajau – came to the centre on Monday (Jan 11) after a flood hit Kampung Belanjung in Taritipan.
Jaffar Bakar, 79, who came with 10 relatives to the PPS said, “The flash flooding was caused by a heavy downpour since Sunday. The water rose 1.5m and forced us to leave.
“Flash floods happen every year and it’s normal for us to evacuate to the PPS. So we’re used to this but all we want is to go home soon,” he said Wednesday.
Oyo Binti, 77, said: “This morning I surveyed the village and saw that floodwaters were receding so we can start cleaning up our homes.”
Sabran Mat Salleh, 50, said that the PPS is comfortable and they had no problems sleeping or having enough food to eat, “however, since the water has gone down, we can start cleaning the house.
“I hope the rain stops so that the water doesn’t rise again.”
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