CIVIL society groups continue to receive appeals for food aid from flood victims as cooking is impossible in their silt-covered homes.

It is five days after severe floods struck many areas across eight states in the peninsula, but although floodwaters are receding in some areas, many of those whose homes were inundated still have no access to food, Nurani Relief’s operations officer Fakrulrazi Jamaludin said.

“Even though the waters have started to recede, people still need food aid because they are stranded at home, lacking clean water and electricity.

“They cannot cook. Some houses are still flooded, property is damaged and going out to buy food at the moment is impossible. This is a major issue flood victims are facing at the moment,” Fakrulrazi told The Malaysian Insight.

Nurani Relief has been distributing food supplies and other relief items everyday, since Saturday.

The group uses its network that has been established in various communities, including in Chow Kit, Cheras and Selayang.

They have a venue in Ampang where members and volunteers gather to cook and pack food to be distributed to affected areas.

Fakrulrazi said hundreds of relief packages have been sent to locations in Hulu Langat, Taman Sri Muda and Puchong, which are among the worst-hit areas in Selangor.

Nurani Relief has also been helping the homeless in Kapar and Chow Kit by relocating those in areas under flood warnings.

While much of the news on the floods and volunteer missions have been on Selangor, Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim), meanwhile, is focusing on Pahang, which has also seen much devastation from the floods.

Pahang Abim chief Abdul Aziz Abd Rahman said flood victims in the state not only need food but energy supply and road access, as many areas affected were in semi-rural places.

The organisation, however, has only 60 members to mobilise as appeals for help mount.

“The most urgent need is food. The situation is made complicated because the floods have made many roads impassable. It is very difficult,” Aziz said.

Pahang has more than 40,000 people currently in temporary relief centres.

Aziz said Pahang Abim is also planning a cleaning up operation as floodwaters begin to recede.

Other than civil society groups, individuals have also taken it upon themselves to provide assistance to flood victims. 

Klang shop owner Syarafiq Abd Samad said he contributed food to flood victims temporarily housed at evacuation centres at SK Binjai and SMK Meru.

He said his family prepared around 100 packs of food to take to the evacuation centres.

Syarafiq also bought and gave out disposable diapers to senior citizens at the shelters.

He added that food was not easily available or provided regularly at the centres, so donations of meals will be greatly appreciated by flood victims there.

The floods in the Klang Valley, now said to be the worst in Selangor’s history, were caused by unusually heavy and continuous rainfall for about 48 hours from Friday. 

The unusual weather was attributed to a low-pressure tropical depression forming over the South China Sea, which not only affected east coast states but crossed over the to west coast of the peninsula.

Residents in flood-stricken areas such as Taman Sri Muda in Shah Alam and Klang have said they received no help from the authorities and that it was ordinary citizens who responded first after seeing their cries on social media.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has acknowledged weaknesses in coordination, while Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari denied accusations that state authorities failed to plan.

He said plans were laid, but the amount of rainfall and swift rise of floodwaters were more than what authorities anticipated. – December 23, 2021.