Senior citizen builds rafts for evacuation, save belongings

KEMAMAN - The huge loss suffered when all his belongings were badly damaged due to the massive floods in 2013 has prompted a senior citizen in Kampung Teladas, near Air Putih, here to build three rafts to avoid a repeat of the bitter experience.

Tarmizi Jaafar, 60, said the three rafts built with different specifications were for various purposes, namely placing his stall items, electrical goods and to facilitate movement during the flood season.

"The use of rafts is more practical in the village as the water current is not too strong. So the goods are safe on the raft. To ease movement, I use bamboo rafts because it does not get easily damaged as compared with fibre boats which are more expensive to build.

"It is good enough to evacuate my family to a nearby road to escape the devastating floods,” he said when met by reporters yesterday.

At present, Tarmizi is the only resident that still uses a bamboo raft in the village, as many other residents own fibre boats that cost over RM1,000 (without engine) and over RM6,000 (with engine).

According to Tarmizi, the cost of making a raft with the use of large water barrels for buoyancy, to place electrical items such as television, refrigerator and water filter was only RM500.

"It's cheap and easy to maintain because should it be hit, it doesn't need to be repaired like a boat and after the flood season is over it can easily be stored.

"Even children are interested to learn to build such rafts,,” he said.

Kampung Teladas is one of the most flood-prone villages due to its location near the bank of the Kemaman River. - BERNAMA