Teenage Flood Victim Writes About Desperation In Kelantan And The Spirit Of Survival
Kelson Chong, a resident of Machang, Kelantan, and one of the hundreds of thousands of those affected by the flood, shares his experience, detailing how he went through it as floodwaters continued to rise.
Cover image via SAYS via KualaLumpurPost
"…the water level was increasing rapidly," Kelson begins his post, further writing how all he could do was to grab anything that he could think of. Putting everything including their dogs at the back of their car, he, along with a few others, evacuated their home.
Kelson's first-hand account of the floods, posted on Facebook on 27 December, helps us understand the level of desperation of affected Malaysians and the spirit of survival among them. Here's a summary:
Scarcity of food: There were 32 people and a few packets of bread. Knowing that they could not survive long with few packets of bread, still people helped each other. Some of them dived into the floodwaters and swam to the nearest coconut trees. "The coconuts really help to keep us energised."
Scenes of destruction in Manik Urai, Kelantan, where flood waters damaged basic infrastructure in several towns
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Problem of clean water: Acknowledging how lucky they were to have a few packets of bread to begin with, it was important that they look for clean water to consume. They used metal cans to put out clean water and cooked instant noodles over candles.
No sleep: In his deeply personal narrative, Kelson writes how they would hear the sound of people asking for help. But they could not do anything except feel sad for them. And sometimes the sound of a boat. "Not even a single person could sleep at that time."
No help: The next morning, they contacted all the help they thought they could get. But due to the strong current of floodwaters, no one was ready to save them. Kelson understood the situation was pretty bad for anyone to come to the rescue.
Detailing how they thought their only chance was to cling to hope, a boat they saw at a far distance suddenly became their last chance at survival
"I mean real food like rice, fried chicken and stuff. The moment we saw the food, tears started flowing from our eyes."
Just then, they heard the sound of the same boat, coming back to get them to safety. But the boat could only take three person at a time. Detailing how the boat ride was a scary experience, they did what they had to do to survive.
Pilots of Royal Malaysian Air Force EC275 Cougar put their helicopter in hover, an RMAF commando (PASKAU) carrying essentials is winched down to waiting inflatables boats. The supplies are then delivered to flood victims seeking refuge at this school in Manik Urai, Kota Baru, Kelantan.
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He wrote how he can never forget the time when he asked for help but was ignored, how the food supplies were getting fewer, about his house… all to be let go off because safety first. "Now I'm just thinking, what if…"
Upon reaching the roadside, everyone was emotional as they could finally meet their siblings and friends. "We were then transported to the nearest centre for flood victims."
"As we were organised to a place to stay, I went out to buy foods and stuff. As I walk down to the car, the surrounding was totally different. The market was filled with people rushing in and out."
A victim of the devastating east coast floods is seen here carrying aid in the town of Manik Urai in Kelantan, as the waters seem to have receded on 30 December.
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