KLANG: It’s an ordeal which Subashini Karunakaran believes that she and her family would take a long time to recover from.

       The financial services company executive lives in Taman Sri Muda, the worst hit area in Selangor, with her parents and two siblings.

       In the aftermath of the floods, the neighbourhood is now a scene of mud-covered streets, stalled vehicles along the roadside and furniture floating above the muddy water.

       There is a stench, too.

       Her family, she said, was shaken-up by the terrifying experience.

       To make matters worse, her father T. Karunakaran, 57, is bedridden after suffering a stroke four years ago.

       “The water rose very fast and when it came up to knee level, we managed to move my father upstairs and we tried to seek help from our bedroom balcony,’’ she recounted.

       Subashini, 28, said she hung a red cloth from the balcony and started screaming to attract the attention of rescuers but there were none.

       They were stuck there with no food and water until early yesterday morning when a group of volunteers came and took the family to safety.

       “The first boat came and took my mother and two siblings to a flood relief centre,’’ said Subashini.

       She added three more boats came later in the day to evacuate her father and her from their flooded home.

       “We used a mattress, by placing it on the short balcony awning, to slide my father onto the boat.

       “The volunteers ensured everything was done smoothly and that my family was able to be together at the same relief centre,’’ she said.

       She said that ordinary Malaysians were going from house to house, shining their torches and calling out to find if anyone was left behind.

       For those who did not want to leave their homes, Subashini said, these volunteers gave them enough water and food.

       According to Subashini, the entire experience left her feeling overwhelmed and thankful that Malaysians, regardless of race and religion, were united and looked out for each other in times of need.

       “I am so touched and happy that Malaysians truly care for each other,’’ she said.

       Nordiana Muda, who lives in Kampung Baru Hicom, with her husband and three children, was desperate for help as she had just had a baby 25 days ago.

       “I was worried over the safety of my baby as we could not see any rescue boats in the area,’’ said Nordiana, who was rescued late Sunday evening.

       She then messaged her younger sister and asked her to upload her plight over social media.

       “Within 30 minutes a man came in his boat and took us to a friend’s home at a nearby high rise apartment,’’ said Nordiana adding that in her state of panic, she had not even asked for his name or where he came from.

       Nordiana added she was thankful that the man had come to rescue her in the nick of time.

       In true Malaysian fashion, ordinary people had come forward risking their own safety to rescue those trapped in the flood in Shah Alam.

       Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari was also out helping evacuate people from their homes and at one juncture came upon some MIC volunteers led by the party’s former vice-president Datuk C. Sivarraajh.

       “At times such as this, we put aside politics and focus on helping the people,’’ Sivarraajh had posted on his timeline with a photo of him and his team with Amirudin.

       The mentri besar replied in the comments section of the post: “Thank you bro for helping us in Selangor.’’