flooding during the north-east monsoon season



i like sharing my experiences from the past so as to give the younger generation a glimpse of how life was like in the 60s.

floods visited us a few times every year during the north-east monsoon season, when we were living in a kampong more than 30 years ago. when it rained heavily and for sometime, we would be prepared for the milk-tea colour flood water entering our homes. the drains would overflow first and when the water level rose above the threshold, water would get into the house.

from experience, we would make no attempt to stop the water from flooding the inside of our homes. it would be an exercise in futility. because there was no way we could seal all the gaps and points of entry. we would just wait for the rain to stop and the water to subside. then we would get out our scoops and pails to bail out the water.

when flooding was severe, a lot of things would be carried away. the wooden planks that we had placed across the drain and things that were not anchored would be swept 'downstream'. even the heavy buckets with human excreta would float away.

and creatures whose homes had been disturbed would make their appearances. cockcroaches and centipedes could be seen on the walls and in areas not covered by water.

after the rain, children would be out of their homes to wade in the flood water. it was, however, a dangerous time to move around. no, not because of the creatures. the drains would be covered by the flood water and you would not know where the edges of the drains were. some could slip into the drain. once i had to drag to safety a smaller boy who had fallen into the swollen drain.