BALING: The relentless fury of floodwaters struck fear into the hearts of the residents of Kampung Baru, particularly 84-year-old Badariah Ali Abdullah, as her house faced a deluge deeper and stronger than she had ever experienced.
For Badariah, the night was pitch black, and the terror of being swept away by the raging floods loomed large.
She shared her harrowing experience, saying: "It was really scary. I couldn't keep my composure and broke into tears when the rescuers offered help evacuating my husband and me. I am grateful for the rescuers for their help."
Rescuers from the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (CDF) braved a metre-deep floodwaters to evacuate Badariah from her house to the SK Siong Temporary Flood Relief Center (PPS).
She had to be carried on a stretcher due to severe knee pains that prevented her from walking properly.
Badariah and her husband, Che Noor Man, 85, were among nearly 120 flood victims forced to evacuate to the SK Siong relief centre due to flash floods after several hours of heavy downpours.
The displaced residents could return home as the floodwaters receded.
Badariah said it was the third time her house was hit by the floods this year, and yesterday was the worst incident.
Another villager, Mohammad Azarul Azan Mohd Zahari, 29, said his family members were evacuated about 10pm yesterday after a metre-deep floodwaters inundated their house.
"This is the fourth time flash floods hit us. The flooding started at about 9pm after non-stop rainfall since 3pm yesterday," he recounted.
Meanwhile, Baling CDF officer Mohd Faizol Abd Aziz said all the evacuees at relief centres in SK Siong, SK Seri Bayu and SK Parit Panjang were allowed to return home at noon today once the situation improved.
He said the floods had occurred after Sungai Ketil overflowed due to several hours of heavy downpour, affecting 10 villages.
"Some of the houses were inundated by up to 1.2-metre floodwaters, so we prioritised relocating the elderly and children to the relief centres," he said.