PETALING JAYA: The massive flooding in Selangor yesterday saw social media inundated with pleas for help, some specifically seeking aid to help their loved ones living on their own.
Some posts were really heart-rending, showing how badly the floods had hit them.
The authorities seemed completely caught by surprise despite the many warnings of inclement weather.
On the upside, the responses from Malaysians of all races asking for details to offer their help was heart-warming and showed Malaysians break racial barriers during moments such as this.
Besides asking for help to look after their aged parents left by themselves in their homes in flooded areas, there were also pleas to help stranded animals.
One such Instagram post read: “Guys! Please share this video. This is Kak Nurul who always saves cats and dogs. She really needs a lorry to send her ‘children’ to shelter.”
Another netizen, who claimed to have experienced a similar situation in Gua Musang, advised victims to keep their phones and powerbanks charged.
“As long as there is electricity supply, please go and charge your phone and powerbanks. Charge your emergency lamps but prepare candles, too, Stock up on necessities and food if you can. All these are important.”
One netizen sent out an SOS to help his grandmother who lives by herself in a flat.
“Anyone staying in Pangsapuri Perdana in Section 13? Please help my grandmother who lives alone there. Please lend her a power bank and she also needs a torchlight as power supply has been cut. Her phone battery is dead and we cannot contact her.”
There were some quick responses asking for more details from those wanting to offer help.
A plea from a mother with her newborn child received quite a bit of response after she posted: “Whoever is staying in Section 20 in Shah Alam (near KPJ Shah Alam), I need shelter for me and my newborn baby who was discharged today. Seriously need help.”
One netizen, whose mother was stuck in her car alone in a highway, pleaded for help as she was experiencing an anxiety attack. A person spoke to her while the waters were rising but her line went dead.
A picture of an elderly bedridden couple with half of their bodies in water was posted on the health ministry’s Facebook with pleas for help. “Both the parents use wheelchairs, and the father is getting breathless.”
What was clear from the social media accounts and pleas is that neither the authorities nor the people were prepared with adequate measures to face such sudden and unexpected upheavals in their lives.
All indications were that Malaysians have been taking their comfort and lifestyle for granted, thinking that no catastrophe is going to hit them.
As for the government agencies at all levels, they seem to be allowing all kinds of development which appear to be destroying the environment and allowing floods to occur.
Worse still, their emergency response and rescue teams were totally unprepared to handle the situation yesterday. - FMT
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