ALOR GAJAH, Oct 28 — A Melaka villager has had it up to his neck in his fight against climate change.
Kamarudin Mohd Sab, 60, of Kampung Pengkalan is worried that he may not win his battle to keep floods away from his house despite having spent tens of thousands of ringgit in the process.
He has raised the house about five feet from the original level since moving in five years ago but the floods strike unabatedly at least twice a year, and the floodwaters have risen to neck level on occasions.
"Previously, the house was on the low ground but I built a wall and raised the level. I used to work hard to earn the money to raise the level of the house. The floodwaters continue to flow into the house. There's no end in sight. I have to deal with this each year.
"My house is near Sungai Pengkalan and a ditch. So, whenever it rains for a long time, the floodwaters will overflow into the house,” Kamarudin told reporters at the village here today.
The villager lives with his two children and a daughter-in-law. They live in constant fear of floods and remain vigilant so as to save their valuables whenever there is heavy rain.
Kamarudin is not alone in his vain battle against climate change.
R. Baskal, 51, a resident of Jalan Kereta Api Lama here, said he and his family celebrated Deepavali at their home on Monday but were forced by floods to move to the relief centre at SMK Seri Pengkalan at about 3am the following day.
“Our house was flooded while we were asleep. We barely managed to save ourselves and relocated to the relief centre just as the floodwaters rose to chest level. We saved some of our stuff, not all,” he lamented.
Another villager of Kampung Pengkalan, Nur Syuhada Abd Razak, 35, said she, her husband Abdul Hakim Kamalludin, 43, and their three children were forced to move to the relief centre after their house was flooded.
She said the family had to move to the relief centre for the second time this year. The house was flooded up to knee level after Sungai Pengkalan burst its banks.
“Although we are always ready to relocate due to the floods, it can be a tiring process. We have lived in Kampung Pengkalan for eight years now and I really hope that there will be a solution to this flood issue," Nur Syuhada said.
Up to noon today, four relief centres — three in Alor Gajah and one in Melaka Tengah — had been opened in Melaka to house 224 flood victims from 60 families.
— Bernama
[caption id="attachment_287784" align="aligncenter" width="816"]
Several little children drawing in colouring books at the temporary evacuation centre for families with children, at SMK Seri Pengkalan in Alor Gajah, Melaka, on October 28, 2022. — Picture by BERNAMA[/caption]
