Malaysians Rally to Help as Monsoon Rains Lash Pahang

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Photo by Jordy Muñoz on Unsplash

Photo by Jordy Muñoz on Unsplash

Torrential rains continue to wreak havoc in Raub, displacing hundreds of families, damaging their homes, and destroying their meagre possessions. But within 24 hours, Malaysians rallied to help victims by donating RM 15,000 to provide essential hygiene kits for women, pampers, baby formula, mineral water, and non-perishable food items.

On January 5th, 2020, in response to a call for help by Raub’s MP Office and District Officer, GiveBACk.my immediately launched a fundraiser to aid flood victims. Within 3 hours, the fundraising platform managed to raise over RM 9,000. Volunteers were immediately mobilised to purchase and transport these much-needed items the very next day to villages in dire need, who were identified by Mr Rashid (Raub MP’s Office) and Mr Khairul (District Officer, Raub).

 


Figure 1: GiveBACk.my volunteers offload essential items at Kg. Kuda Semantan

Figure 1: GiveBACk.my volunteers offload essential items at Kg. Kuda Semantan

Figure 2: Essential items ready for distribution.

Figure 2: Essential items ready for distribution.

Figure 3: Distributing Essentials.

Figure 3: Distributing Essentials.

Figure 4: Kg Jeram Besu. Excited with their milo and hot cups!

Figure 4: Kg Jeram Besu. Excited with their milo and hot cups!

With supplies loaded into two vehicles, volunteers from GoodNews and GiveBACk.my made their way to Raub where they visited five separate locations – Kampung Ulu Jeruas, Jeram Besu, Kampung Tersan, Kampung Tersang, and Kampung Kuda Semantan.

When speaking with the affected villagers, we learned that their furniture, clothes, kitchen equipment were all destroyed. Some families were only left with the clothes on their back, while others had nothing to eat for two days. Flood waters reached window levels in certain villages, while others were totally submerged.



The villages shared their experiences and recalled the moments just before the floods wrecked their homes. “The floods formed quickly, and it did not give us time to save any belongings” said one villager.

The villages shared their experiences and recalled the moments just before the floods wrecked their homes. “The floods formed quickly, and it did not give us time to save any belongings” said one villager.

Despite losing their homes and almost all their belongings, the villagers were in high spirits and offered us some jackfruit as a way of saying thanks.




Figure 5: Kg Kuda Semantan. A villager attempts to salvage personal items and furniture damaged by flood water.

Figure 5: Kg Kuda Semantan. A villager attempts to salvage personal items and furniture damaged by flood water.

Figure 5: Kg Kuda Semantan. A villager attempts to salvage personal items and furniture damaged by flood water.

Figure 5: Kg Kuda Semantan. A villager attempts to salvage personal items and furniture damaged by flood water.