BACHOK - A family with two siblings with disabilities have leaned on their previous experiences to help the two brothers get used to the evacuation process this year.
Their sister, Nurul Awatif Sudin, 25 related how her brothers, Mohd Afiq Fairus, 22 and Muhd Adam Danish, 14, were able to pack their favourite items and colouring books before being told twice this time around, as if they understood that it was time to evacuate as the floodwaters reached the level of their thighs.
The change in their behaviour means a lot to her, as both brothers, who have Down Syndrome, had a harrowing time during the floods last year.
"It really was very tough. We had to coax them repeatedly, but they still didn’t want to leave the house. We almost gave up evacuating them,” she told Bernama at the relief centre set up at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pauh Sembilan here.
"This year, it was different. When I asked them to evacuate, they immediately sought their favourite items, including colouring tools and got ready to follow us to the centre,” she said, adding that her family was placed in a classroom near the toilet to allow her brothers, who need to wear diapers, to manage themselves.
Nurul Awatif explained that her brothers, who are prone to throwing tantrums, are now calmer in the centre, and occupied their time colouring and chatting with other family members.
"We were among the earliest families to evacuate as we feared that the water would rise fast. That time, the water already reached the thighs. I helped my mom manage my brothers before we all got into our eldest brother’s car. Even though it was tight, they were calm throughout the journey,” she added.
The friendly treatment by Social Welfare Department officials also helped put her brothers at ease and reduced their nervousness, she said.
"They (the social welfare officers) really do care. That made it easy for my brothers to adapt here,” she added. - BERNAMA