Thinking only of death while trapped for hours in flood - victim

A chalet and homestay operator was up to her waist in the flood that also hit Janda Baik in Bentong, near Kuantan, before climbing up to the ceiling of her house to save herself and her family last Saturday.

Nor Azian Sapian Suri, 51, recalled that the water level on the ground suddenly rose and therefore she, her husband and two of their children could not escape in time through the door in the harrowing incident that night.

Describing the flood incident as the worst she had ever experienced, the mother of five said the water level started to rise from around 7pm and the floodwaters entered their house, seven holiday chalets and a homestay.

“Initially, we could still put up with the situation but after soaking for too long in the floodwater that had risen to almost waist level from 8pm to 1am, we were feeling weak and cold and were shivering… the current at the time was strong, hence the Fire and Rescue Department men were unable to enter the house to save us.

“Worried about the situation, we were forced to climb up to the ceiling by arranging chairs on a cupboard to save ourselves and we sat on the wooden framework below the roof until 4am. I could only think of death during that harrowing time,” Nor Azian said when contacted by phone from Kuantan yesterday.

The stranded family was rescued by the firemen and taken to higher ground near a mosque, nearby their home.

The terrifying incident was too much for Nor Azian’s daughter that she had to be taken to hospital yesterday after being unwell.

She said her uneasy feeling about the rainy condition also drove her to ask her chalet occupants to leave the place earlier on the day of the incident and promised to return their money for the bookings.

"My chalets had bookings from guests coming from Malacca, Terengganu and Perak. But that evening, when the floodwater started to rise, I requested them to leave. Luckily, they agreed and stayed at the mosque nearby.

"Usually, the floodwater level would only rise up to the shin but this year, the level was unexpected… now all the furniture and electrical appliances in my house and chalets are kaput,” added Nor Azian who has been operating the chalets and homestay for eight years.

-Bernama