15-10-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) A group of kindergarten students found themselves trapped by rapidly rising floodwaters, forcing them to seek refuge atop their classroom desks. The incident, which occurred on 15 October, has sparked concerns about the vulnerability of educational institutions to sudden environmental calamities.
A distressing video, widely circulated on social media platforms, captured the harrowing moments as the young pupils, visibly frightened and clutching their backpacks, stood precariously on their desks while murky water swirled around them. The flood level had alarmingly reached the height of the classroom furniture, leaving the children stranded in a sea of brown water.
Responding to the emergency, the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department swiftly mobilised a team of six rescuers. Ahmad Mukhlis Mokhtar, the department’s Assistant Director of Operations, reported that they received the distress call at approximately 10:28 a.m., prompting an immediate response.
Upon arrival at the scene, the rescue team encountered a dire situation. The floodwaters, which had risen to waist-deep levels, had not only inundated the kindergarten but also affected four nearby houses. The severity of the flooding necessitated the evacuation of local residents, who were advised to seek shelter in traditional stilt houses known as ‘penghulu’ – a testament to the enduring wisdom of vernacular architecture in flood-prone regions.
In a coordinated effort, the rescue team successfully evacuated four teachers and 21 kindergarten students from the waterlogged premises. The operation concluded with all children being safely reunited with their anxious parents, bringing a collective sigh of relief to the community.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the flooding was triggered by the overflow of a nearby river, swollen by heavy rainfall.
