| It was the worst rainy weather I had seen. The skies remained overcast as sheets of rain poured down without stopping. In the evenings, the rain was usually accompanied by blinding flashes of lightning and deafening peals of thunder. Most of the residents in my area remained confined indoors. Apart from people scurrying to and from work and school, there was little outdoor activity. The town, Kuantan, faces the Pahang River. After three days of incessant rain, the swollen river burst its banks and unleashed its fury on the residents. Many of the residents were caught off-guard. As the floodwaters rose, many of the residents were forced to flee their homes. Although our area was a flood-prone area, many were caught by surprise as this was not the monsoon season. Every year, the north-east monsoon would bring heavy rains to the east coast at the end of each year. However, the sudden floods in the middle of the year caused jitters among the residents. Houses were inundated. The heavy downpour also triggered landslides, causing further damage to houses. The heavy rain caused traffic woes as many vehicles were stalled. Some motorists were seen pushing their stalled vehicles while others were stranded. |
