Two brothers became the first victims of the flood in Kelantan when both drowned in a canal in Kampung Tualang Salak, yesterday.
In the incident around 2pm, Ahmad Fathi Roslan, 14, and Mohd Arif Hakimi, 10, drowned while playing in a canal area together with their cousin, Azhar Fakhri Mohamad, 13, and some friends.
Their father, Roslan Abdul Ghani, 40, said the two boys who were the eldest and third among his children had never before played in the canal.
“But I don’t know why they went out to play in the flood water today where they might not have realised the location of the canal and slipped as the area has been inundated following rain,” he said.
Roslan said although he was deeply saddened by the loss of his two sons, he accepted the tragedy as fated.
Bachok Fire and Rescue station chief Nordin Zakaria said they received a call on the incident at 3.15pm and 10 personnel including a diving team rushed to the scene.
“A search operation was carried out and the bodies of the two boys were found at the bottom of the canal at about 4.45pm,” he added.
The bodies were sent to Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital.
– Bernama