A woman suffering from gout had to stand in floodwater for six hours before being rescued by the Kelantan Civil Defence Force (APM).

Mazlina Mohamed, 45, said the floodwater at her home rose to 1m at 7am and remained at that level until she was rescued at 3pm and taken to a flood shelter at SM Beris Panchor here.

“I had to stand in the water and endure the pain as my family and I had just moved into this rented house two months ago and we still do not have much furniture.

“This is our first experience evacuating to a flood shelter. We rented the house despite knowing the area is flood-prone because ... the rent is affordable at RM300 a month,” she said.

Mazlina, her husband Mohd Riduan Harun, 45, and daughter Nur Aliya Maisarah Mohd Riduan, 19, moved to the shelter after being instructed by the authorities.

Mazlina, who has been suffering from gout for the past two years and whose condition worsened over the past week, said she was promptly treated by medical staff at the shelter.

Yasmin Syafiqah Anuar, 29, recalled being unable to sleep the night before as irrigation canals and padi fields near her home began overflowing.

“I moved to Kampung Budi four months ago and didn’t know it was flood-prone.

“I started packing and moving items to higher ground.

“By 8am, with water levels rising to nearly 1m, we were instructed by the authorities to evacuate.”

Yasmin said she and her husband had chosen to live in the area because of its proximity to her husband’s workplace in Kota Baru.