Bea-Meow and her group were able to meet the Batek who live close to the Kelantan entrance to the National Park. This small community took a severe beating during the floods. The lower settlement at Tom Balai was completely washed away.
Even the PPRT housing close to the road to the park office were completely inundated with water. Other groups have gone in earlier to provide aid, including the much-needed tarpaulins. But supplies were still short and the group brought in some, purchased with funds from the JOAS Flood Relief Fund.
Still, there requests for parangs and more tarpaulins. And mobile phone top-ups.
A 3-month-old baby died of high fever a few days after the floods started. The mother (pic below) believes the fever was the result of the baby getting drenched when the flood waters began to rise rapidly and everything was in confusion.
COAC | 2 January 2015