Over the weekend, Penang witnessed one of the worst floods in history as over 30 areas in the state were inundated. The combination of a broken dam, high tide and abnormal weather has turned this flood into a deadly disaster.
This has forced thousands of Penangnites to abandon their homes at short notice as the water was rising too fast; and it was a close shave for this particular family.
Source: NST
During the wee hours on Sunday morning, a 16-year-old girl named Zhang and her family had to flee for higher ground as the water was rising quickly. She was with her mother and auntie at that moment, as reported by Sinchew.
Time was of the essence, so the trio made their way towards the main road but the young girl kept falling down, thus slowing her family down.
The desperate young girl then decided to stay behind as she did not want to drag her family members along due to her slow speed in catching up. She said,
“Let go of my hands mum, otherwise we’ll all be swept away (by the current)!”
Like any loving mother in the world, Zhang’s mother was determined to protect her child. So she held on to the girl’s hand even after what her daughter said and didn’t let go.
Thankfully, they made it to a nearby tree on the side of the road. That’s how they survived from being swept away.
Source: Sinchew
While recounting the incident to reporters, the girl’s father couldn’t help but to shed some tears as he almost lost his loved ones that night. This heart-stopping incident happened at Terengganu Road in Penang.
Source: Sinchew
Netizens were relieved by the ending of this incident and sent their heartfelt wishes to the family after learning that they made it to safety.
Although this unusual flood was caused by a few factors, we certainly hope the flood mitigation project can be enhanced to prevent massive floods like this one in the future.
Also read: M’sian Mechanic Shares How to Minimise Car Damage While Wading Through Flood
