KUANTAN: The 'unusual timing' of the floods this year has caught many victims in the state capital here by surprise.
Given that the usual monsoon floods will strike between late November and mid-January, many, especially those living in low-lying areas, had assumed that their biggest fear was over, only to be proven wrong.
Villager Radzi Awang, 70, said when it rained all day yesterday, he thought the weather would subsequently improve.
He was instead taken aback by rising floodwaters outside his house at the Sungai Pandan public low-cost housing scheme at 7am today.
"The rain did not stop and when the water level continued to rise, my wife and I decided to pack our belongings. Some of our neighbours began to vacate their homes so we decided to follow and move to the relief centre.
"My house was previously hit by floods twice in December 2020 and 2021.
"Since it was already February, I thought there would be no more floods, with the monsoon season was nearing an end.
"When I left home, the water was already ankle-deep so I have no clue about the condition at home," he said when met at the Wisma Belia Indera Mahkota flood relief centre here today.
His wife, Umi Kalthum Othman, 57, said continuous rain yesterday resulted in the drain outside their house overflowing last night but she did not expect the area to be inundated today.
"The worst flood was in 2021 when it was almost two-metres deep inside the house. I hope the flood water will recede quickly so that I can return and check the house," she said, adding Sungai Pandan had burst its banks resulting in her housing area being flooded.
Meanwhile, Abdul Salim Muslim, 63, who moved to the relief centre with his four children, described the floods as a surprise to many since the monsoon season was ending.
"It had been raining for more than a week but there was no signs of floods. Suddenly today, most areas in Kuantan were flooded. We managed to pack some clothes and bring along the important documents.
"When I reached the relief centre before noon, there weren't that many people. Now, more victims have begun to arrive. The volunteers have begun to distribute food and other necessities for the victims," he said when met.
Retiree Salmiah Johan, 67, whose house in Kampung Pandan was inundated, said previously when the floods struck the nearby Sungai Lembing town, the residents in her housing area would start to make preparations to vacate their homes.
"Surprisingly, the Sungai Lembing area was flooded early today before the water receded sometime later but in my area, the water continued to rise and the authorities advised us to move to the relief centre," she said.
Wisma Belia Indera Mahkota, which is among the seven flood relief centres operating in Kuantan, has 351 victims.