TANAH MERAH: A prosthetic leg did not stop 17-year-old Natasha Nadirah Yunus from wading through the 0.5 metres of floodwaters to reach the temporary relief centre after her home was inundated in Kampung Alor Pasir.
Natasha, who has a prosthetic leg on her right side from below the knee since birth, had to navigate through the floodwaters for a distance of 300 metres before riding a motorcycle with her 42-year-old sister, Che Zuraini, to the centre in heavy rain.
She said water began inundating the yard of her house at noon yesterday (Thursday), prompting her to move to a safe place around 7.30pm.
"If I delayed (going to the relief centre), the water level would rise and make it difficult for me to wade through the flood, considering my right leg uses a prosthetic limb.
She expressed gratitude that she managed to navigate the water without help.
"Despite experiencing moments of pain and facing the risk of my prosthetic leg being pulled off, I successfully crossed the floodwaters.
"Since my family doesn't have a boat, there's no other choice but to wade through the water," she said when met at the Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Alor Pasir relief centre.
Natasha also shared that she had two prosthetic legs and opted to use the older one, concerned that the new one might be damaged or swept away by the flood.
She said she had to go to the evacuation centre with her sister first while the rest of her family remained at home to pack their belongings, fearing that water might enter the house.
Natasha also expressed her hope that the water would recede soon, as her house faces flooding with high water levels almost every year.
She emphasised the comfort of being at home and said she is also a student in the Special Education Integrity (PPKI) programme at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tanah Merah 2.