Our ground coordinator for the Grik-Belum area recently reported a death due to drowning in one of the villages in the RPS Kemar regroupment scheme.
According to Rahman Has, the 9-year-old boy had gone for a bath at about 4pm with several other children in the Lengweng River, from which the village gets its name. The water was still high and the current fast due to the rains, though less so than during the height of the floods.
It appears that the strong river current carried the boy away and attempts to save him failed. His body was only found the next day, 31 January 2015, at 6.30pm.
Apart from this death, we have been told of at least 5 others that are apparently flood-related, including two young children of severe diarrhea caused by contaminated water and food, coupled with poor nutrition and lack of access to medical attention.
The expected post-flood medical problems – rashes, fevers and headaches, diarrhoea, sores, severe coughs – continue to plague many affected Orang Asli.
The boy on the rock after being pulled out of the river by the youth on the right.
Rahman handing over a small donation to the uncle of the boy who plans to trek in from Kelantan to visit the family.