Tehel: As soon as continuous rain begins, six siblings living in six adjacent houses in Kampung Parit Lampong, Tehel, immediately move their belongings to higher ground in preparation for floods.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Zuna Abdul Y. Abdul Jaafar, 39, said the area they occupy on ancestral family land is frequently affected whenever water from the Tehel River overflows into the residential area. This is due to the low-lying terrain, which can cause the access roads to their houses to be submerged.

"We are actually well aware and already understand the pattern of rising water levels in the area because it doesn't happen suddenly. If the rain stops around 10:00 am, the river water usually only starts rising into the housing area at around 7:00 pm, so we still have time to move our belongings to higher ground," she said when met by reporters at the Temporary Evacuation Center (PPS) at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tehel here today.

Zuna added that her family members have also reduced the use of heavy furniture in their homes to make cleaning work easier once the floodwaters recede. She noted that before this current flood, the last major flooding event to hit the area occurred in 2024, resulting in significant property damage. "Ever since that incident, we no longer use a lot of furniture and have become much more cautious," she said.

Meanwhile, her mother, Rumiah Sabri, 75, a native of the village who has lived there since birth, said they choose to remain on the ancestral family land despite the area being frequently hit by floods. She added that she has long grown accustomed to the situation and accepts the occurrence of the floods, adding that she will relocate to the PPS whenever instructed to do so. "The water usually rises after it rains, but stagnant water often occurs in our area because it takes a long time to recede," she said.

Meanwhile, Halimah Mat Saat, 68, shared that because she frequently faces floods in the area, she has now become a Social Welfare Department (JKM) volunteer to assist with duties at the PPS. Halimah, who lives alone in her flood-affected home, did not want to miss the opportunity to serve as a token of appreciation to the government agencies that have helped her extensively over the years. "After I finish cleaning up my house, I will come to help out at the PPS, sometimes doing night patrols here... JKM has helped me a lot in the past, which is why I want to give back by volunteering for as long as I am healthy and able," she said.