TANJONG MALIM: Victims affected by the water surge incident in Ulu Slim have begun cleaning up their homes after they were hit by mudslides since last Friday.
Suhaila Talib, 38, a resident of Kampung Pasir, said that she, along with her husband and four children, have been cleaning their home as water supply, which had been disrupted by the incident, has been restored since early this morning.
She said that other family members have also been helping them clean up their severely affected home, which was damaged by mud and silt, resulting in extensive damage to electrical appliances, furniture, and other household items.
“The weather is good today and there is no rain, so it’s a good opportunity to clean the house. If we delay, the thick mud and silt will harden and be even more difficult to clean.
“Although I am saddened by what has happened, I am grateful that my family and I are safe, as no one was home at the time of the incident,“ she said when met by Bernama at her home today.
Suhaila and her family have been relocated to the temporary relief centre (PPS) at Masjid Jamek Kampung Pasir since last Friday.
Suhaila informed that the mudslide in the village was the worst they had ever experienced, with her house compound being covered in debris from large trees and wood carried away by the strong currents of the water surge.
“Kampung Pasir experiences flooding each year, but never to this extent. Normally, the floods don’t result in such severe mudslides,“ she said.
Another village resident, Shahrizal Radzi, 38, noted that his house, which he has been living in for 20 years and is located near the river, was severely affected by the recent mudslide.
“This is the worst flood we’ve had. Previously, the floods were only knee-deep. The incident happened so fast with no warning signs (of the mudslide) because it had only been drizzling before that,“ he explained.
“My house is filled with thick mud, and it will certainly take quite some time to clean up. My motorcycle, as well as household and electrical items, are all ruined,“ said Shahrizal, who works as a cleaner at Sekolah Kebangsaan Ulu Slim.
Resigned to the disaster, he said that he would seek help from friends and family members to clean his home, which was severely affected by the mudslide.
The incident occurred around 6.45 pm last Friday, when heavy rain caused several areas in the Muallim district to flood, accompanied by a water surge that left many residents trapped.
As of 2 pm today, 100 victims from 27 families have been relocated to the PPS Masjid Jamek Kampung Pasir, while the PPS Masjid Jamek Slim Village was closed at 1 pm.
