Rescuers save senior citizen trapped in lorry during flash flood

 

A Fire and Rescue Department team rescued a senior citizen who was trapped in a lorry during a flash flood near Sungai Lebam, Penawar in Kota Tinggi today.

Penawar Fire and Rescue Station operations commander, senior fire officer Abd Rahim Abd Rani said the 61-year-old man was rescued at about 7.52am.

“The victim was trapped in the lorry (cargo compartment) due to 1.2m-high floodwaters," he said in a statement today.

“The operations team rescued the victim using rope and a personal flotation device. The victim is now safe.”

Meanwhile, Sebana Cove Fire and Rescue operations commander, Noor Ikhson Shukor said in a separate statement that four members of a family, including an elderly individual, who were trapped in their house in Kampung Muhibbah, Tanjung Serindit in Kota Tinggi, were also saved by a fire and rescue team.

“All victims are safe now,” he said, adding that the victims comprising an 82-year-old man, a 56-year-old man, as well as a woman aged 54 and a 13-year-old boy were evacuated to a temporary relief centre.

At the same time, Kota Tinggi district officer Hazlina Jalil, when contacted by Bernama, said two relief centre have been opened in Kota Tinggi to house 15 families as of 11.30am today.

However, she said the actual number of victims involved in the flash flood is being registered.

She added that the water level in the affected area is now ankle-high and that light rainfall and cloudy weather are expected in some areas of the district.

- Bernama