Disaster Rescue in Disaster

Every year in December, North East Monsoon will bring heavy rainfall that causes flood to many areas in Malaysia.
 
Mid of Dec, 2021, Malaysia Meteorology Department forecasted Peninsular Malaysia will be affected by a tropical depression, hence there will be unceasing rainfall for days. Such weather, added to ever present monsoon rain and high tide threats, it had caused massive flooding to 5 states in Peninsular Malaysia. Klang valley experienced the most severe flood in 50 years.    


| Waiting for the water to recede and sending rescue
​It was the beginning of the weekend, the week before Christmas, when news of the flooding broke. After 2 days of unceasing rain, more and more severe disasters were reported in many places. 7979 disaster response mechanism activated immediately, December 18 (Saturday) afternoon, our co-workers went to the warehouse to pick up cleaning tools and equipment, so that they could response the first minute when the water receded. Unexpectedly, on the way back, the water had flooded the road and traffic jams were everywhere. Normally fifteen minutes’ journey became three hours. On that night, we received news that hardest hit area Shah Alam, Taman Sri Muda’s flood water had covered up to one floor high. We were getting calls for help, people were trapped, power outage, couldn’t contacted their relatives or friends……They couldn’t do anything except calling the official emergency hotline.

The next day, the government seemed unable to rescue in time, many civilians and NGOs resorted to self-rescue by sending boats out. 7979 has two boats in our newly moved warehouse, which was also surrounded by floodwaters.  Furthermore, the flooded intersection also being blocked by police. It was only in the afternoon that we were able to arrange a lorry to past through the roadblocks, and picked up the boats and the engines from the warehouse, then hand it over to the local partners to use.


| Disaster relief log
​At the same time, we received messages from churches from all over the country, some churches asking for help, and some churches wanted to help. There was a church located in the disaster zone, up to 90% of their congregation was affected. Many people wanted to help the disaster victims at first instance. Therefore, from video conferencing to tools and equipment arrangement, recruiting volunteers and purchasing supplies, various disaster response operations were launched. Even though it was the weekend, works still went on.