PASIR MAS: A satay vendor, who nearly lost all his belongings in the recent floods, has found an inventive way to cope with the disaster by building a tree house in front of his flooded home in Meranti.
Mohd Nor Afiq Mohd Anuar, 33, built the tree house on a 20-year-old Sinai tree last month, after hearing that Kelantan was expected to face severe flooding.
"Upon hearing the weather forecast, my siblings and I decided to build the tree house as a precaution," said Afiq.
"Using recycled materials like old zinc and pieces of wood, we took about three weeks to complete it."
During the recent floods, Afiq and his four siblings sought refuge in the tree house, as their home was submerged under three metres of water.
"On the night of Nov 29, I could see floodwaters starting to enter my house from the tree house.
"Although we lost almost all our belongings, I was relieved that my father, 66, and the rest of the family were safe at the SK Mekasar flood relief centre."
Afiq said that despite the challenges, the family managed to stay connected.
"What amazed me was that the internet coverage in the tree house was excellent. My brothers and I could watch live broadcasts from the rescue agencies while we prayed for our safety."
Afiq plans to upgrade the tree house to make it stronger and larger, ensuring it can better withstand future floods.
"We were lucky that the floodwaters receded later, and we are grateful that we made it through safely," he added.