2 People Have Died By Drowning In Paddy Fields Due To Kelantan Floods
Both victims slipped and fell into the floodwaters while trying to fish.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 03 Dec 2019, 02:58 PM
The floods in Kelantan have claimed the lives of two victims who went fishing at inundated paddy fields
Seven-year-old Mohammad Ilham Hasmadi was the first reported death due to the floods, which have been affecting the east coast since late last week, reported Bernama.
The boy reportedly went fishing with his uncle at an irrigation canal in a paddy field in Felcra Teratak Batu on Sunday evening, 1 December, before slipping from a plank bridge and falling into the flooded canal.
Ilham's body was found in the flooded paddy field by the search and rescue team at 8am yesterday, 2 December
Kelantan police chief Datuk Hasanuddin Hassan said the boy's body was found about 400 metres away from where he was believed to have slipped.
His body has been sent to Tengku Anis Hospital in Pasir Puteh for a post-mortem.
The second victim, too, lost his life while trying to fish at a flooded paddy field in Kampung Jubakar yesterday
The victim has been identified as Eh Phong Areang, a 49-year-old labourer, reported New Straits Times.
Phong was catching fish at the paddy field at about 8am before falling into the floodwaters while he was pulling his fishing net.
Tumpat district police chief Superintendent Abdul Rashid Mat Daud said villagers found his body about three hours later near the area where he reportedly fell
Bernama reported that the victim left his house in the early morning, but failed to return home.
The police have classified the case as sudden death as there is no criminal element involved.
Meanwhile, the total number of affected flood victims in Kelantan has risen to 6,799 as of yesterday noon
The Welfare Department's flood disaster portal stated that 2,311 families are sheltered at 74 relief centres in eight districts across the state, the latest report by New Straits Times noted.
When combined with the victims in Terengganu, the number crosses over 11,000.
According to CNA, many residents in Terengganu have resorted to budget hotels to seek refuge while waiting for evacuation to relief centres on Sunday.
