Thursday, February 5, 2015

Kuala Krai Flood 2014

Kuala Krai Flood 2014
Prepared and Reported by Lion Wan Siew Leng

Floods happens in the East coast of Peninsula Malaysia every year, but the speed and fierceness that saw the waters of Sungai Kelantan burst its banks last week (December 2014) caught its long-time residents off-guard; there had never been a need for a flood safety plan as the water levels in the river had not risen past the danger mark in 20 years. Reports began to flood in that the level of the river at the Krai Steps was 33.58m, almost 10m above the danger mark on the eve of Christmas, News Straits Times reported. The magnitude of the disaster was unexpected. 

Reports continue to pour in on overcrowded shelters; intermittent communications services;  shortage of food and water supply; rescue efforts hampered by power outages; and roads that have been washed away by the floods.After two back-to-back waves of flooding, many residents of Kuala Krai in Kelantan are pondering their future as floods washed away most of their belongings. In the past week, flooding in Kelantan alone had caused almost 200,000 people to evacuate their homes, almost 25,000 of them from Kuala Krai.The flood was so bad that waters even rose up to the third floor of a school in Manek Urai that also served as an evacuation centre. Authorities have estimated infrastructure damage in Kelantan to be at RM200mil. While the flood waters have now receded, many of the evacuees have nothing left except the clothes on their backs. 




After the water receded, many NGO's organized much needed food, water and supplies to the flood victims. Our Lions was amongst the first to arrive in Kuala Krai to help. Residents in Kuala Krai Town, surrounding villages namely Kg Keroh, Kg Siam, Bukit Langsat, Kg Pahi, Jalan Geal, Jalan Jirat, KK Heights, Kg Sireh, Buddhist Association, Taman Krai,  all the Schools in Kuala Krai namely SJKC Yuk Chai, SK Bandar, SKKK Krai benefited from the supplies and cleaning up of the towns and assisting in the distribution of the donations to the masses.

Over here, just too many to mention, Lions Club of Kuala Krai and the Residents in and surrounding Kuala Krai wishes to extend our deepest appreciation to the following :

1. DG Lim Hoe Guan, VDG, 2nd VDG and his whole convoy of Distrit 308B1 - REACH MISSION - visited us 4 times during this period.
2. PDG Team
3. DG 308B2 and his team 
4. Lions Club of Pekan Nenas
5. Lions Club of Glorious Budaya
6. Lions Club of Kota Tinggi
7. Lions Club of Seri Kuala Langat
8. Lions Club of Pantai Hills
9. Lions Club of Cameron Highlands - Hillview
10. GM Klang
11. Mahsa University
12. Tzu Chi Foundation
13. Persatuan Rumah Amal Murni Kajang
14. Wan Ken Wee and Christina of Shinju Pearls and Associates
15. Ong Cheng Kah and Family
16. Poon Swee Hang and his associates
17. Chris Tan and Wan Siew Loo
18. Wan Tin Seng and Family, Joan Wan and Family

Those assisting in distribution of supplies :

1. PDG Dr Kamalanathan
2. Ho Siew Wan
3. Lioness Wan Phen, Lioness Lew Mioe
4. Representatives from MIC
5. Daniel
6. Foo Yong Thai
7. MCA
8. Susie of Kg. Keroh
9. Lioness Mie 
10. Lions President Nyanasegere and Lion Mohan
11. Lion Wan Siew Leng

Note : Please excuse us if anybody has been left out in the above mentioned. We have lost track due to no internet services in our area and all our computers were destroyed in the flood.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the floods, life for the people in Kelantan is far from normal. Everybody is trying to rebuild their lives. Most of those in business, with their shops destroyed have decided to give up while some are slowly picking up the pieces. In the Kampungs, most of the people stays in Shelter Boxes beside their Homes waiting to rebuild and waiting for aid to come from maybe the local government or donors. It is indeed a very pitiful sight. It will take years for them to rebuild their homes and life to get back to normal again.