PADANG TERAP: Witnesses frantically urged a mother and her son not to enter floodwaters, warning them of the strong currents, but the pair pressed on and are now feared drowned.
The 8.15am incident involved Muhammad Rosman Rohaidi, 19, and his mother, Salmah Mohd Zain, 46, who were feared to have been swept away while trying to cross floodwaters in Kampung Tanjung Kiri here today.
A resident, Mohd Amir Mohd Sougelail, 28, said he saw Salmah clinging to a rubber tree while Rosman turned back to try to help her.
However, he said both were soon overwhelmed by the force of the current.
"The water was extremely fast-flowing, as it was close to Sungai Padang Terap, which had overflowed due to heavy rain last night," he said when met at the scene at Kampung Tanjung Kiri today.
The pair, believed to be returning home from buying nasi lemak, took a longer route of more than three kilometres to avoid the flooded main road.
They had parked their motorcycle at a villager's house and tried to walk home via a narrow tarred road, which was submerged up to chest height.
The shortcut was about one kilometre from their house in Kampung Tanjung Kanan, where Rosman, who has a learning disability, lived with his mother.
Another witness, Mohd Sofi Rhazalee, 39, said: "I shouted for them to turn back, but the mother lost her grip, and her son tried to pull her back. They struggled and, despite our calls (for them to turn back), were swept away."
Kuala Nerang Fire and Rescue Station chief Aminuddin Mad Khozali said the search and rescue (SAR) operation for the two was still ongoing as of 11.45am.
He said the SAR effort involved 18 personnel from the Kuala Nerang and Pokok Sena Fire and Rescue Stations, along with assistance from the police, the Civil Defence Force, and local villagers.
"The SAR operation is using three aluminium boats. Searches are being conducted in the area where the victims were swept away.
"Units from the Sungai Petani and Jitra stations are on their way to the scene to assist in the search," he said at the location.