RANTAU PANJANG: Residents in low-lying areas affected by flooding have transferred essential items onto emergency rafts to prevent damage.
Resident Noraman Ismail, 39, said he and his neighbours began moving items like tables, sofas, bicycles and electrical appliances onto the rafts yesterday after floodwaters rose to 0.4m around their homes.
He said this was their first experience using rafts to store belongings after receiving them from a non-governmental organisation in early October.
"Each raft measuring 13 sq m is shared by three families. We agreed to place only essential items to prevent them from being damaged.
"The rafts are tied to trees to keep them from being swept away by the currents. We cover them tightly with canvas to protect them from rain.
"Floodwaters in our area can reach over 3m, so we hope these rafts remain secure," he said in Kampung Tersang today.
Noraman said he hoped this method would keep their belongings safe as his family had suffered losses almost every year, especially electrical appliances.
It was reported that an NGO donated 30 emergency rafts worth RM70,000 to four flood-hit villages in Pasir Mas district.
The contribution, facilitated by the Kelantan Disaster Relief Network in collaboration with Crisis Relief Services and Training, was distributed to Kampung Tersang, Kampung Tasek Bakong, Kampung Kusar and Kampung Serongga.
Mastura Abdullah, 34, said she would store electrical items on the raft she received as she was tired of having to replace them almost every year due to flood damage.
"My home in Kampung Kusar can be submerged up to the roof, leaving us with no place to store essential items.
"With the raft, at least it will float and save my belongings.
"If this raft is useful this flood season, I will try to build a new raft myself to store more items during future floods."