ARAU: A woman's plan to recuperate at her mother's house after giving birth 21 days ago was disrupted when their home in Kampung Titi Besi, Arau, was flooded following heavy rain in Perlis yesterday.
Noor Masizwani Mustam, 24, along with her newborn daughter and other family members, were rescued by Civil Defence Force personnel. They were relocated to a temporary flood relief centre at SK Arau.
Noor Masizwani's mother, Asmini Hashim, 50, said there was a risk of floods whenever there was a downpour in the village.
"My daughter (Noor Masizwani) lives in Beseri, but after giving birth, she wanted to stay at my house. However, we didn't expect the rain to lead to flooding," she said today.
She said out of concern for her daughter and granddaughter's safety, her husband, Mustam Mokhtar, 61, quickly sought assistance from the authorities to evacuate them.
"The rain started at around 4.30 am yesterday, but we were prepared for the worst. The weather was gloomy yesterday, and when it rained again, Sungai Arau overflowed, flooding homes in the area and forcing us to evacuate," she said.
Another evacuee, Zaid Ahmad, 25, said the river's water level rose rapidly before flooding his home.
"Thankfully, previous incidents have taught us to be well-prepared by securing important items and documents in advance. It made the evacuation easier since all our essential belongings were in a safe place," he said.
Checks in Kampung Titi Besi, Arau, found the area was still flooded. Efforts to pump the floodwaters back into the river are ongoing.