36-day-old baby among flood victims

In Bandar Baru, Malaysia, a harrowing ordeal unfolded as a family, including a newborn just 36 days old, found their home inundated by floodwaters. The relentless downpour, which began around 4 p.m. in Kampung Sungai Tengas Tengah, caused river levels to surge dramatically, breaching homes by 8 p.m. The rapid rise of water, reaching knee-deep inside and waist-deep outside, created a terrifying situation for the residents.

“

Saya cuma fikir nak selamatkan anak dan cucu yang baru lahir kerana ketika itu air semakin deras sehingga paras dalam rumah mencecah lutut dan di luar pula paras pinggang.

Haslina Othman, 48, recounted the desperate moments, prioritizing the safety of her daughter, Nor Azimah Che Kassim, 25, who is still in her postpartum confinement period, and her newborn grandchild. "I just thought about saving my child and my newborn grandson because at that time the water was getting stronger, reaching knee-deep inside the house and waist-deep outside," she said. Adding to the distress, Haslina, who had suffered a stroke a week prior, found herself weak and struggling to walk, necessitating her children to help her evacuate in the heavy rain.

Fortunately, members of the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) arrived promptly, rescuing the seven family members, including the infant. This rescue brought a measure of relief to a family who has unfortunately become accustomed to such disasters. Haslina described this flood as the worst they have ever experienced, noting that they had faced similar situations before, including during her youngest child's birth last year. "Last year when my youngest child was born, we also had a flood, but at that time I was in confinement, but we did not move to the PPS (temporary evacuation center). Now it's my grandchild's turn. But this time it's really the worst because the water rose quickly and fiercely," she lamented.

“

Saya juga berdepan kesukaran untuk selamatkan diri kerana diserang strok kira-kira seminggu lalu dan masih lemah serta sukar berjalan, jadi anak-anak terpaksa heret keluar dalam keadaan hujan lebat

In total, 44 victims from 12 families were evacuated to the PPS Dewan Keda Sungai Tengas due to the severe flooding that affected several areas, including Kampung Sungai Tengas, Kampung Air Itam Dalam, Kampung Cherok Meranti, Kampung Paya Salak, and Kampung Batu Hampar. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of communities in flood-prone regions and the critical role of timely emergency response.

“

Tahun lepas masa anak bongsu lahir pun kena banjir, masa itu saya yang berpantang namun kami tidak berpindah ke PPS, sekarang cucu pula. Tapi kali ini memang paling teruk sebab air naik cepat dan deras