JERLUN: Shazwani Mohd Kyairi had a rude shock upon waking up this morning to see her family home in Kodiang town here inundated with knee-deep flood water.
Fortunately for the Form Three student of SMK Tunku Bendahara, all her text and revision books were spared from the flood water as she had placed them on a bookshelf.
With just two weeks to go before her Penilaian Tahap 3 (PT3) examination, Shazwani has no time to waste and resumed her revision at the flood relief centre in SK Kodiang Lama, several metres from her home.
Shazwani, 15, and her family members were among 700 flood victims from three districts in Kedah who were forced to seek shelter at relief centres following continuous downpour over the past two days.
The older of two children said she was asleep when her mother woke her up at 2.30am today.
"By 7am, we were advised to move to the relief centre as it is not safe to stay at home since the flood water could rise further," she told the New Straits Times.
Shazwani, who is sitting for eight subjects in the PT3 due to start on Oct 9, admitted that the flood was distracting her revision but it did not dampen her spirit to do her best in the examinations.
"I am grateful that the Civil Defence Force, the Welfare Department and other government agencies are here at the relief centre for us but I am hoping that the flood will fully subside soon and we can return home," she said.
There are 32 people from eight families seeking shelter at the relief centre as at 6pm today.
Kota Seputeh assemblyman and Jerlun Umno division Datuk Abu Hasan Sarif who visited the relief centre today urged residents in low-lying areas to heed advice from the authorities to relocate and not wait until their house was submerged.
"Things can get pretty dangerous both for the victims and the rescuers to carry out relocation at night. So it is advisable for them to adhere to the instruction instead of waiting for the flood water to rise to unsafe level," he said.
As at 4pm, the number of flood evacuees in Kedah had risen to 700 people compared to 366 yesterday evening as rain continued to pound the northern states, coupled by the high-tide phenomenon.
Kedah Civil Defence Force (APM) Disaster Management Committee coordinator Captain Saifuddin Abdullah said Kuala Muda remained the worst affected district with a total of 505 evacuees.
He said the victims were seeking temporary shelter at three flood relief centres in SK Bukit Kechil in Bukit Meriam, Dewan Kampung Jilid 8 in Bujang and Dewan Kampung Sungai Pial in Merbok.
"In Kubang Pasu, 154 people from 32 families have moved to the Changlun flood relief centre at SMK Changlun while in Kota Setar, 20 evacuees are being placed at the Dewan Kampung Balai in Kuala Kedah," he said in a statement.
Continuous rainfall since Wednesday evening, compounded by the high-tide phenomenon, had led to flooding in several parts of Kedah.
Authorities have reminded those living in low-lying areas to be on standby for evacuation, as the downpour is expected to last another day, while the high-tide phenomenon will go on for another two days.