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JOHOR BARU – A mother and her four children, including a four-month-old baby, were forced to climb up the roof of their house in Kg Laut Batu 10, Skudai, to escape the floodwater following a two-hour heavy downpour yesterday afternoon.
Hairul Badariah Zakariah, 39, said climbing onto the roof was the only way she could think of because she was too worried as the water level began to rise rapidly.
“My husband was not at home during the incident, so I climbed up the ladder to bring my children to safety,” she told reporters yesterday.
Hairul Badariah’s neighbour, Sulaiman Salleh, 56, described the floods as the worst he had experienced this year.
“While waiting for the fire brigade to arrive, we relocated to the house next door on a hill, but their house was also inundated. We were distraught because the water rose too quickly. We are used to floods, but this time, it was too fast,” he said.
Meanwhile, Skudai Fire and Rescue Station chief Mohamad Riduan Akhyar said it received a distress call at 4.30pm before 12 firefighters were rushed to the scene.
He said 19 victims had been rescued so far, and believes that around 15 houses were affected by the floods.
Earlier, several areas in Johor Baru and Kulai were hit by floods following heavy rain since 2pm.
The Johor Civil Defence Force, in a statement, said among the areas affected were Kg Jaya Sepakat and Taman Aman in Kulai; while in Johor Baru, Kg Maju Jaya and Kg Laut Batu 10, Skudai. – Bernama, August 21, 2022