Cover image via The Malaysian Insider
It has been a year since Malaysia faced the catastrophic northeast monsoon rains last December, which left thousands homeless, making it the worst ever flood disaster the nation has ever seen to date
The heavy monsoon rains started sometime around 17 December 2014 and lasted till the end of the month, displacing more than 200, 000 people and killing 21.
**The east cost states usually have it the worst and last year was no different as Kelantan saw the worst flood in history that forced more than 3,000 people out of their homes, with Sungai Kelantan's water levels reaching up to 34.17 meters. The danger level of the the river is said to be 25 meters.**
According to Berita Harian, the damages cost by the floods in Kelantan alone would cost up to RM200 million.
Image via The Star
Image via The Star
Image via The Star
Image via The Star
Image via The Malaysian Insider
While the rest of the country suffered greatly from the devastating floods, it was Kelantan that had it worst. It had the highest number of evacuees at over 20,000 people, scattered around in all the relief centres in the state.
So, where are the Kelantan flood victims now?
Image via The Malaysian Insider
Image via The Malaysian Insider
Squatting in tents and living in cramped National Service camps:
Most of the flood victims in other states have comfortably gone back to their daily lives, sleeping and living in their homes again, sometime after the floods last year.
However, the victims in Kelantan were not able to do the same due to the extensive damage caused by the floods, forcing them to remain homeless to date.
Image via Malaysiakini
Image via Malaysiakini
Can you imagine spending a year in a 10-by-10 metres space?
That is exactly how almost a 100 Kelantanese families have been living since last year's flood that completely destroyed their homes
Image via Malaysiakini
If that isn't bad enough, the senior citizens living at the National Service camp are forced to walk for almost a kilometer, everyday, during meal times as the food is served at the dining hall located there
"They conducted a census before and told us we will be given new houses, but a year has passed and we still don't know the outcome," said Nik Mah Nik Kob, who has been living at the NS camp with her family since last year
Image via Malaysiakini
Meanwhile, refusing to live in the cramped NS dorms, five families have defied the government's orders by continuing to live in the National Security Council tents
Image via Malaysiakini
Image via Malaysiakini
"We are like a football, kicked around," said Kak Ju, adding that so many people have offering them new homes, but these offers remain as empty promises to date
According to Kak Ju, an unnamed NGO once promised the victims rented houses, but nothing materialised out of that too
Image via Malaysiakini
Shedding light on the messy situation, Abdullah Ismail, special officer to Galas assemblyperson, Ab Aziz Yusuff explained that the victims were moved to the NS camp to ensure that they were taken care of
Will the homeless victims get their promised homes anytime soon?
This photo of a Kelantan flood victim and her son was taken at the Bandar Utama Gua Musang in Kelantan sometime last May
Image via The Malaysian Insider
