© Hadzme Mohd JaafarRani and his family lost everything in the flood.
They say the measures of the past proved futile this time after the water level rose more than 1m higher than the massive floods in 1971.
"When it started to rain on Dec 3, we went to sleep at my sister's house nearby because it had never flooded there," said 59-year-old Kamariah Othman.
"But at 4am the next day, we were woken by her neighbour when water started flowing into their house.
"Before we knew it, we were up to our waists in water."
The family moved to a cousin's house on a hill and have been staying there for the past few days.
© Hadzme Mohd JaafarZulhisham Mohd and his family search for whatever is left of their home after it collapsed in the flood in Kemaman, December 11, 2013.
Kamariah has been cleaning up the shop for the last four days even though the water began to subside two days ago.
Saiful Bahari Abdul Rahim, 41, who works in Bangi, returned to his hometown on Monday to help his 82-year-old father.
"We heard about the floods on the news and then my father called and said he needed help," he said.
"This time, it was really bad," Saiful Bahari said, adding the last floods of such magnitude were in 1971.
"Electricity supply only resumed after four days on Dec 6. The water supply was back on Monday but the pressure is low," he said.
Saiful Bahari said he did not know how long he would remain in Kemaman to help his father and was taking things one day at a time.
His father, Abdul Rahman Taib, considers himself lucky to have nine more children to rely on.
Abdul Rani Mat Yunus, 65, said his family's home and restaurant was flooded up to the roof and the silt and mud had destroyed everything the family of six had.
"We had to call the police to come rescue us after the water level rose higher than usual.
"We had to move twice, which is difficult to do with children," he said.
His daughter-in-law, Emyshakila Sofian, 25, said material possessions were not as important as their lives.
"We lost everything. Even now, we're wearing clothes donated to us because our own clothes were ruined," she said.
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