This post is one of the toughest I had to date as it is a memoir of my recent trip to one of the worst affected areas of recent flooding in the east coast of Malaysia. At its peak, the flood displaced more than 220,000 people from their houses from 5 states in Peninsular Malaysia.
The main road between Gua Musang and Kuala Lipis (FT008) is packed with traffic as this is one of two main roads access to Kota Bahru that is opened. Access from Gerik (FT004) is still closed due to landslide and access through Temerloh (E8) is still submerged from flood water.
The room that I have pre-book is unavailable as the motel still have no electricity and water. It is here we learnt that only small part of the town (especially critical areas such as commercial banks) have electricity supply for limited hours during the day. Water is also under rationing as most of the water processing plant is still undergoing repairs as it is flooded during the disaster.
We are getting ready to sleep at the nearest mosque when we met this small motel. Water is limited here and one room is supplied with only one pail of water per day.
We went to nearby supermarket to look after for extra bottled water, as the supply that we brought is only enough for drinking but not cleaning. However the supermarket has no stock of fresh water and their fridge is also empty.
After a quick lunch we went to our first affected areas, Kampung Lata Rek. The access to this settlement is filled with thick mud and a foul smell of mud completely filled my helmet.
This is the aftermath of the flooding in Lata Rek, Kuala Krai Kelantan
This picture give a clearer picture of how the place had transform before, during and after the big flood. Note that the parking area now has completely vanished under the mud and sand bank. I was told by the villagers soon after this picture (during) was taken, water level has gone up again submerging the red-roofed hut and went about 2m above road level, where this picture was taken.
This is one of the children that stays in the house opposite the recreational area of Lata Rek. We distributed some paracetamols, canned food and dried salted fish to her house. We also gave her and her other friends some candies and chocolates.
His house is turned into an island when the bridge was submerged for almost a week
and met this house which was completely submerged
"We were rescued by JPA boats and brought to SK Sungai Sok when the water has gone up about 1m deep" - said her. "My house is only about 50m from Sungai Sok and this is byfar the worst condition I had in my 40 years living in this house."
She has cleaned most of her stuff using water from the same river that has engulfed her house earlier as both electric and water supply is still unavailable when we arrived.
The flood water level here is above 3m
We went further to Sungai Sok and met this guy who is salvaging whatever is left from his house wreckage. He is trying to dry his daughter's school text book when we arrived here.
His house is shifted from its original base when the flood water submerged his house. "We seek refuge in the nearby hill behind my house and we were stranded there for about 8 days as the small hill has became an island during the flood" -said him.
Note the flood water level on the tree
From Kampung Sungai Sok we moved on to Kuala Krai town, which reminds me a computer game called the Silent Hill. It looks like a zombie town with all the rundown shops, deep mud stench and garbage and leftover on the streets.
This petrol station is located at the center of the town and the flood level here is above 2m deep.
Even the car on the automotive lift is fully submerged during the flood
We went back to Gua Musang town just before sunset and due to heavy traffic the 45 minutes ride became 2 hours and the road is congested almost 25km from Kuala Krai to Gua Musang in both direction.
Along the road, we see most the areas is still in complete darkness as electricity supply is still unavailable. Villagers are staying on the roadside in tents and under canvas roof as mud still filled their houses.
We had lunch at the restaurant below our motel and cleaned ourselves using water from the pail provided earlier. The electricity supply is still under ration so it is completely dark and hot after midnight.
The next day we leave Gua Musang after breakfast and head to Kuala Lipis.
(Can't really see all the dirt on our bike from this distance, Syahril)
We make a stop in Kampung Padang Tungku, Kuala Lipis to meet this house owner. This house is about 100m from Sungai Jelai and it is his second flood disaster in 2014 as the first is in January but the recent flood is the worst as it is completely submerging his house
Just behind the tree line in-front of his house is Sungai Jelai and you can see the river water level on the tree leaves
This bridge on FT008 is submerged about 2m during the flood and that's how high the water level during the big flood
We went towards Jerantut heading to Kuala Tembeling and the flood aftermath is clearly visible along the route.
This is the main jetty that provide boat ride to Taman Negara. One of the staff here spoke to us and recall the night of the flooding:
"We were guarding all the long boats and the floating jetty as Jelai river current is really fast and rising. The water climbs each steps very fast and we shone our small torch light towards ladder every hour until it is getting dangerous to sit on the edge."
"Then we retrieve to our houses when the water came up to road level and continues on rising until about 2m above parking area. Our houses became an island and we were stranded there about a week. A helicopter came and drop us supplies. I have never experience something like this in my 15 years service here."
On the roadside, TNB's personnels are checking the electricity line to restore the supply and this area still without water and electricity when we arrive.
When we are about to ride back home, I am seated at the edge facing the mouth of Pahang river which was submerged just two days ago to comprehend what has happen and am still intrigued just how the water level has gone up so high in a very short time.
We rode back through Benta and Bentong as the road through Temerloh (E8) is still closed.
Prior to this trip, I've come across a lot of pictures and posting of the flood devastation but honestly being at the disaster hit areas and witnessing by your own eyes is an entirely different experience.
Syahril and I set out from Bhp Petrol station in Karak Highway on Jan 1st, 2015 Thursday morning with a little bit of supplies that fit into our side panniers and top boxes. It basically consist of paracetamol, stomach-ache relief pills, dried fish, canned food, candles and some chocolate for the children. We also brought drinking water, light snack and petrol for our use as it is reported that some basic necessities are scarce even in closest town of Gua Musang.
Being a public holiday, the situation in that Bhp petrol station in Karak is carnival-like, as many convoys of flood relief missions and groups of motorcycle enthusiasts converged.
Being a public holiday, the situation in that Bhp petrol station in Karak is carnival-like, as many convoys of flood relief missions and groups of motorcycle enthusiasts converged.
The main road between Gua Musang and Kuala Lipis (FT008) is packed with traffic as this is one of two main roads access to Kota Bahru that is opened. Access from Gerik (FT004) is still closed due to landslide and access through Temerloh (E8) is still submerged from flood water.
We reached Gua Musang around noon and almost immediately met our first obstacle.
The room that I have pre-book is unavailable as the motel still have no electricity and water. It is here we learnt that only small part of the town (especially critical areas such as commercial banks) have electricity supply for limited hours during the day. Water is also under rationing as most of the water processing plant is still undergoing repairs as it is flooded during the disaster.
We are getting ready to sleep at the nearest mosque when we met this small motel. Water is limited here and one room is supplied with only one pail of water per day.
After a quick lunch we went to our first affected areas, Kampung Lata Rek. The access to this settlement is filled with thick mud and a foul smell of mud completely filled my helmet.
This place is orginally a famous recreational place where people came to picnic with their family. The opening between the signboard and the tree is actually a road that leads to parking area down below, now filled with thick mud.
This is the aftermath of the flooding in Lata Rek, Kuala Krai Kelantan
This picture give a clearer picture of how the place had transform before, during and after the big flood. Note that the parking area now has completely vanished under the mud and sand bank. I was told by the villagers soon after this picture (during) was taken, water level has gone up again submerging the red-roofed hut and went about 2m above road level, where this picture was taken.
We continue on to Sungai Sok and met this landslide. Syahril slipped his front wheel and collapse here but thanks to the villagers and volunteer that hand-repair this landslide road helped him to his wheels again
We've cross this bridge on Sungai Sok which has been submerged one week ago. Note the mud on the tree that indicate the water level during the flooding.
His house is turned into an island when the bridge was submerged for almost a week
We went deep into Kampung Sungai Sok
and met this house which was completely submerged
"We were rescued by JPA boats and brought to SK Sungai Sok when the water has gone up about 1m deep" - said her. "My house is only about 50m from Sungai Sok and this is byfar the worst condition I had in my 40 years living in this house."
She has cleaned most of her stuff using water from the same river that has engulfed her house earlier as both electric and water supply is still unavailable when we arrived.
The flood water level here is above 3m
We went further to Sungai Sok and met this guy who is salvaging whatever is left from his house wreckage. He is trying to dry his daughter's school text book when we arrived here.
His house is shifted from its original base when the flood water submerged his house. "We seek refuge in the nearby hill behind my house and we were stranded there for about 8 days as the small hill has became an island during the flood" -said him.
Note the flood water level on the tree
This petrol station is located at the center of the town and the flood level here is above 2m deep.
Even the car on the automotive lift is fully submerged during the flood
Along the road, we see most the areas is still in complete darkness as electricity supply is still unavailable. Villagers are staying on the roadside in tents and under canvas roof as mud still filled their houses.
We had lunch at the restaurant below our motel and cleaned ourselves using water from the pail provided earlier. The electricity supply is still under ration so it is completely dark and hot after midnight.
The next day we leave Gua Musang after breakfast and head to Kuala Lipis.
(Can't really see all the dirt on our bike from this distance, Syahril)
We make a stop in Kampung Padang Tungku, Kuala Lipis to meet this house owner. This house is about 100m from Sungai Jelai and it is his second flood disaster in 2014 as the first is in January but the recent flood is the worst as it is completely submerging his house
Just behind the tree line in-front of his house is Sungai Jelai and you can see the river water level on the tree leaves
This bridge on FT008 is submerged about 2m during the flood and that's how high the water level during the big flood
We went towards Jerantut heading to Kuala Tembeling and the flood aftermath is clearly visible along the route.
This is the main jetty that provide boat ride to Taman Negara. One of the staff here spoke to us and recall the night of the flooding:
"We were guarding all the long boats and the floating jetty as Jelai river current is really fast and rising. The water climbs each steps very fast and we shone our small torch light towards ladder every hour until it is getting dangerous to sit on the edge."
"Then we retrieve to our houses when the water came up to road level and continues on rising until about 2m above parking area. Our houses became an island and we were stranded there about a week. A helicopter came and drop us supplies. I have never experience something like this in my 15 years service here."
On the roadside, TNB's personnels are checking the electricity line to restore the supply and this area still without water and electricity when we arrive.
When we are about to ride back home, I am seated at the edge facing the mouth of Pahang river which was submerged just two days ago to comprehend what has happen and am still intrigued just how the water level has gone up so high in a very short time.
We rode back through Benta and Bentong as the road through Temerloh (E8) is still closed.
It has been a very memorable trip seeing all the devastation the big flood has done to those places in our own eyes. In hard time like this we should recollect and do our part to help those affected in ways we can afford. As a wise man once say disastrous time like brought the inner you, the very best and the worst. It's up to us which side we want to be.
This is the 1st time i have read details 1st hand about big flood in Kelantan. Before this only on FB
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