Zainab@halimah Ismail, 77, attending to her husband, Che Noh Che Hassan, 79, who is bedridden. As their home in Kampung Chupu, Kuala Berang, Terengganu, is frequently hit by the northeast monsoon, their son Zulkifli Che Noh has to find ways to keep his father out of harm’s way.

As the annual downpour strikes Kota Baru again, the locals are reliving a 10-yearold nightmare: that of the 2014 “Bah Kuning” (yellow floods).

That was when the state was massively hit by floods, with muddy water submerging houses and even double-storey shoplots, destroying everything in its path.

It was a week before the floods subsided, leaving behind yellow residue on damaged goods everywhere.

Those living in Kelantan’s capital are no strangers to the annual November-january monsoon season. But the floods from a decade ago were something they could never forget.

“It was the worst flood I experienced in my life,” said Nur Damia Mohamad, 29, whose house in Kampung Sireh is less than a kilometre from the banks of Sungai Kelantan.

Here, the annual floods usually happen gradually, with rain falling for three to four days, causing the river to overflow.

Most of the houses are built on stilts so the residents can stay dry. But that year, even the stilts could not afford them shelter from the fast-rising waters.

Within a day, the waters reached dangerous levels, past the stilts and into homes.

“The rain came down hard for hours. We moved our cars to higher ground but the floodwaters rose fast and we did not have a chance to move our belongings.

“My parents and I only managed to save our documents and other valuables before fleeing.

“Most houses have sampan on standby and we only had enough time to grab what we could,” Nur Damia said, recounting the incident.

While the rain in Kota Baru has not been as bad this year, it has been heavier than normal, prompting many to begin moving furniture, electrical appliances and perishables to safer locations.

“I have not been able to go to work as some of the roads have been blocked the past few days.

“But my husband has been braving the waters to get to his office,” she said.

The siren along Sungai Kelantan has gone off three times, warning everyone that the waters were reaching alert level.

“I hope more can be done to solve the flood woes. “My parents are getting older and I don’t want them to go through the same experience again,” Nur Damia said.

KLANG: More than 300 people have been evacuated after their homes were inundated in Meru and some areas in Kapar here.

According to Selangor Disaster Management Unit principal assistant secretary Mohd Azhar Mohd Daud, two relief centres – one in SK Sungai Binjai in Meru and another in the Kampung Bukit Kapar community centre – had been activated to house flood victims.

“So far, there are 70 families with 284 people seeking shelter at the Sungai Binjai centre and seven families with 26 members at the Bukit Kapar centre,’’ he said.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari had made his way to the relief centres to gauge the situation yesterday evening.

Meanwhile, Team Selangor chief operating officer Sadina Suffian said they had completed evaluation of the area and would be initiating aid work there today.

“We are looking for families to help out and our priority is always the elderly, the disabled and single mothers,’’ said Sadina.

She added that Team Selangor volunteers will be sent to the areas affected and families that have been identified to assist them.

Meanwhile, grocery shop owner Shafizan Md Zin, whose store is located one kilometre from Meru town said, her business was affected as Jalan Meru was hit by floods.

“That is the main road we have to take to go from Meru to Klang but because of the flooding, we have to use a back exit through an industrial area.

“Although that area is also flooded, it is not as bad as Meru town,’’ said Shafizan.

Floods in several parts in Negri Sembilan forced the evacuation of 2,120 residents, says Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.

The Mentri Besar said as of 6pm yesterday, 20 temporary flood relief centres had been opened in four districts to accommodate the victims.

“They are from 578 families in Tampin, Kuala Pilah, Jempol and Port Dickson. “Tampin has the most centres with 11,” he said.

Four centres each have also been opened in Kuala Pilah and Jempol and one in Port Dickson.

The areas affected in Tampin include Gemas, Gemencheh and Tampin town, Johol (Kuala Pilah), Jeram Padang, Rompin, Jelai, Serting Ulu (Jempol) and Linggi (Port Dickson).

Aminuddin said several rivers have also breached the dangerous levels due to continuous rain since Thursday evening.

He said the victims would be provided with the basic necessities at the centres.

“I have directed the district officers to closely monitor the centres to ensure the victims are comfortable.

“I would also like to remind the victims not to return to their homes until authorised by the authorities “he added.

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Majikan diharap dapat bertoleransi dan memberikan pertimbangan sewajarnya kepada pekerja yang terjejas dalam menghadapi situasi bencana seperti banjir.

Menteri Sumber Manusia, Steven Sim, berkata majikan tidak boleh memotong gaji pekerja sewenang-wenangnya kerana perkara itu tertakluk di bawah Akta Kerja 1955 di Semenanjung, dan Ordinan Buruh bagi Sabah dan Sarawak.

"Gaji tidak boleh dipotong kecuali yang dinyatakan dalam undang-undang, contohnya untuk potongan cukai berkala, KWSP, PERKESO dan sebagainya. Jadi, apa-apa potongan gaji harus ikut akta.

"Untuk keadaan banjir dan sebagainya, saya minta kalau ada majikan atau pekerja yang memerlukan bimbingan dari segi penyelarasan kerja supaya tampil atau menghubungi pejabat Tenaga Kerja," katanya selepas Majlis Peluncuran Kampung Angkat MADANI Kesuma Kampung Baru Alma di sini hari ini.