TANAH MERAH: An elderly couple in Kampung Kulim here has had to deal with waist-level floodwaters so many times that it doesn't faze them anymore.
Seventy-two-year-old Che Mat Che Semik and his 64-year-old wife Siti Rohani Mohammad, have also had to move to the temporary relief centre several times each year, including three times since last November.
"Right now, the water level is knee-high in the kitchen area and waist-high in the compound as it has been raining continuously since Wednesday (Jan 24).
"To move to the centre, we have to wade through 200 metres of floodwaters before the villagers can help take us to the centre," he said when met by Bernama at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Kulim centre here today.
Che Mat said their house is easily inundated as it is situated in a low-lying area just 50 metres from Sungai Jerangau, which easily overflows and they have to constantly be vigilant.
Che Mat said they would usually move to the relief centre earlier to avoid difficulty for the rescue agencies to come and help them and to avoid having to deal with the strong currents.
"Since it's just the two of us as our seven children are working in other states, we decided to make early preparations to avoid any risks.
"We kept all the important things safely in higher places because even if it rains heavily for just a day, the river water will overflow and enter our kitchen area," he said.– BERNAMA