400 Stranded In Wang Kelian After Rain Causes Landslide

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 The group comprised 300 Malaysians returning from Thailand and local residents affected by floods.
A landslide caused the closure of the road to Wang Kelian. Civil defence teams have been deployed to villages in the Padang Besar area. (APM Facebook pic)KANGAR: About 400 people were stranded in Wang Kelian near Padang Besar after a landslide occurred at about 1pm following continuous rainfall since early this morning
Padang Besar police said the group comprised 300 Malaysians returning from Thailand via the Wang Kelian border checkpoint, with the rest being local residents affected by floods.
District police chief Shokri Abdullah said the victims were given shelter at Masjid Nurul Husna. He said the Wang Kelian road remained out of concerns of further landslides.
Memories of floods prompt early evacuation
Memories of heavy floods last year have prompted some residents of Tumpat, Kelantan, to evacuate early.
Che Rosinah Che Omar, 53, a resident of Kampung Geting, said last year’s floods destroyed almost all her belongings. This time, she chose to evacuate early when water began seeping into her house this morning.
The incessant rain over the past two days and the rising water level were clear signs that conditions could worsen in an instant and she urged her husband and four children to immediately move to a relief centre.
“Last year was our first time moving to a relief centre, and now we have to do it again. Even though some say sleeping at the centre is uncomfortable, as flood victims, we must be patient. Everything is provided here, food, drinks, and there is even a medical team,” she told Bernama at the centre.
Last year’s flood submerged her furniture and most electrical appliances. “I don’t want to suffer the same losses again, especially since it’s still raining and the water level can rise at any moment. If there’s a high tide and Sungai Golok overflows, things could get even worse,” she said.
Another victim, Rozahan Isa, 53, said early relocation was the safest decision. Those who chose to remain at home were putting themselves and their families at high risk, and would complicate rescue efforts if water levels suddenly surged.
“I have a two-year-old child, so there’s no way I would delay (the move to evacuate). I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to my three children,” said Rozahan, who lives in Kampung Belukar. - FMT

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