PADANG TERAP: A school administrative assistant resorted to going live on Facebook to plead for help after her family of three became trapped in their home when floods hit Kampung Semeliang, Kuala Nerang, early Thursday morning.
Recalling the harrowing three-hour ordeal of standing on the fence wall of their home, Nor Amiza Ahmad Shukri, 42, said she decided to go live on Facebook as they were too frightened to wade through the rising floodwaters in the dark.
Amiza was at home with her husband, Shaharanizal Che Halim, 52, and their 13-year-old son, Muhammad Yasir, when the floodwaters began to seep into their house at 1am.
"We tried to wade through the water to reach my mother's house nearby, which is located on higher ground," she said.
"However, the strong current and rising water levels forced us to turn back. We thought we could wait for help in the morning, but by 2am, the floodwaters had risen to above knee level, forcing us to stand on the wall of our house while calling for help."
The family was eventually taken to the temporary flood relief centre at SK Kuala Nerang.
Amiza recounted that by 4.30am, she attempted to contact the police, the Fire and Rescue Department, and the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), but soon realised that trucks and lorries could not access their area due to the high water levels.
"That's when I decided to go live on Facebook," she said.
"I told myself it was the only way to ask for help, hoping that if the broadcast was shared widely, someone would come to our rescue. We clung to the wall for about three hours before someone arrived in a boat to rescue us around 7am."
Amiza expressed her gratitude for the rescue, saying that although much of their belongings had been damaged, their safety was the most important thing.
Meanwhile, Kedah Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, who visited several flood relief centres in Padang Terap, coordinated immediate relief efforts with the help of various non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
"The floods, caused by continuous heavy rainfall over the past few days, led to the overflow of two dams, Ahning Dam and Muda Dam, into the rivers.
"Over 30 villages have been affected by the floods. We are grateful for the support from government agencies and NGOs, who are assisting victims despite some areas being inaccessible due to high water levels. We are delivering food and essential supplies to those in need," he said.