Cats get rescued during floods in Johor & Pahang
Having made it through the tumultuous year that was 2020, we’d have thought that we’d have a smoother start to 2021. But recent heavy rainfall has brought about destructive floods in several states in Malaysia, including Johor and Pahang, since the first day of January 2021.
Over 10,000 individuals have now been evacuated to relief centres in both states, as reported by Bernama. Viral photos showing bridges collapsing and major landslides show how bad things are in affected towns. But in the midst of having to leave their homes and get to safety, flood victims in Johor and Pahang have been seen making sure that their feline friends aren’t left out of the rescue mission.
Feline friends get a helping hand in Kota Tinggi
Netizens have taken to sharing photos and videos of these rescue missions on Facebook. One of the rescues took place in Sungai Rengit in Kota Tinggi. The town has been badly hit by the recent flood, which is said to have been the worst it’s faced since massive floods caused by Typhoon Utor swept through the town in 2006.
In the video shared by Facebook user Shafiq Nazrin, 2 unnamed men can be seen braving flood waters, carry a cage with cats presumably to safety. Even through the rain was pouring down, the men opted to shield the cats instead of themselves with an umbrella.
Video credit: Shafiq Nazrin
Pahang cats not left behind either
Those in Pahang weren’t spared from the heavy rains and floods either.
Video adapted from: Info Roadblock JPJ/POLIS
A viral video of a bridge collapsing in Raub showed the worst of the flood waters causing harm to locales and homes there.
But on a slightly more positive note, a video shared on 5th January by netizen Hisyam Peace in Maran, Pahang, showed 4 men on a makeshift raft with 3 rescued cats on board. He captioned the video, which can be translated from English to Malay, with, “These heroes saved the cats from the flood.”
And as cat lovers know how felines hate getting wet, a man in the video can even be seen taking extra care holding on to the cats to keep them from coming into contact with the water.
Video credit: Hisyam Peace
In another video believed to be filmed in Lorong Maran Damai in Maran as well – as seen in a street sign in the video – about 10 cats can be seen crowding on a rescue rowboat, helped by a woman and 2 motorcyclists.
Video credit: Jom Meow Meow House
Cats get rescued by kind M’sians in Johor & Pahang
It’s heartening to see these individuals in Johor and Pahang rescuing cats even though they themselves are in dire situations. And we hope that the selflessness that these Malaysians are showcasing will help us tide over the rough new chapter in 2021.
If you would like to help out those stranded in flood-affected areas, you can donate to organisations that are helping to assist flood victims at this moment, such as Mercy.org.
Check out our other stories about how Malaysians show love for their furry pets:
- Ipoh man rescues dog abandoned by roadside during the MCO
- Man walks pet tortoise in Johor Bahru in bizarre viral photos
- GrabFood rider brings manja cats along for deliveries
Cover image adapted from: Shafiq Nazrin & Jom Meow Meow House