East Coast Floods: Close to 4,000 evacuated

2009/11/06

By Ridzwan Fernandez and Sean Augustin

KUALA TERENGGANU, Fri: Four days of continous rain finally took its toll when several low lying areas in Terengganu were hit by floods, forcing some 2,627 people to be evacuated in four districts. (Updated: 9.30pm)

A spokesperson from the State National Security Council said up to 9pm, 475 people from 105 families in Dungun district have been moved into three evacuation centres after their villages were hit by floods.

In Hulu Terengganu, 570 victims from 141 families were relocated into three evacuation centres, while Besut, the worst hit district, had 1,288 victims from 304 families evacuated into five evacuation centres.

In Setiu, 294 victims from 143 families have been relocated. Kuala Terengganu, Marang and Kemaman districts have been spared from the floods so far.

An earlier report by the authorities that a bridge in Kampung Basung in Hulu Terengganu, which connects the main road to Pengkalan Gawi in Kenyir Lake had collapsed, was inaccurate. The bridge is still intact and passable to all vehicles.

The state's main trunk roads have not been affected although some other secondary roads are inaccesible due to rising waters.

A boy making the most of a very wet situation in Kampung Tersat, Kuala Terengganu, in his makeshift boat. - NST picture by ASWADI ALIAS

In Besut, the roads affected are Kampung Batu 13, Bukit Payong to Besut (500 metres stretch and open only to heavy vehicles), Kampung La to Pasir Akar (closed to all vehicles) and Jalan Kampung Jerubung (closed to all vehicles).

Two village houses in Kampung La were also swept away by raging flood waters.

Fortunately, its occupants were already on their way to the evacuation centres when the incidents occured.

In Setiu, the roads closed to all vehicles are Jalan Kampung Bukit Nyior to Kampung Tok Nendung and Jalan Bandar Permaisuri - Hulu Seledang.

Roads that have been closed in Hulu Terengganu, meanwhile are Km 17 jln Kuala Berang - Sungai Tong, Km 13 Jalan Kuala Berang- Sungai Tong and Km 8 Jalan Kuala Berang to Telemong.

All roads in Dungun remain open to traffic.

The authorities also warned that all rivers in the four affected districts have breached the danger levels, leaving the possibility of more evacuations as intermittent rain has been forecast for the next two days at least.

The State Police Contingent Floods Operations centre can be contacted at 09-6270499 for queries.

Meanwhile, Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said visited several flood hit areas in Besut and immediately promised assistance for all victims, including a pledge to rebuild damaged homes.

The annual flood hit KELANTAN today with the first group of 1,210 people from five districts being evacuated from their homes to evacuation centres since early morning.

Continous rain over the past three days has also caused the water level at three measuring stations to rise above the danger level at the Golok river at Rantau Panajng and Jenob as well as the Kelantan river at Kusial.

Since the morning, several government departments including the drainage and irrigation department and the police have opened their flood operation rooms.

The state flood operation room has also been activated.

A spokesman from Kelantan police operation room said as at 7pm, those affected have been evacuated from the districts of Pasir Mas, Kuala Krai, Tanah Merah, Jeli and Machang after their homes was hit by flood.

The worst hit was Pasir Mas with 432 people, Kuala Krai 308, Tanah Merah 249, Machang 188 and Jeli 33.

The spokesman said at least five main roads have been closed to light vehicles including the Kota Baru-Kuala Krai road at Sungai Durian which was under one metre of water.

"Other roads include Batu 8 Pasir Putih, Kemubu-Pulai Chondong, Machang-Pasir Putih and the Pasir Putih-Kota Baru road at Bukit Abal which is under 0.2metre of water," said the spokesman.

Meanwhile, water level at three Drainage and Irrigation Department's measuring stations in the state has breached the danger level as at 5pm.

The water level of the Kelantan river at Kusial was recorded at 17.51m (danger level 16m) while the Golok river at Jenob was 24.72m (danger level 23.50m) and Golok river at Rantau Panjang 10.22m (danger level 9m).

At the Krai steps, the water level was 24.87m just below the danger level of 25.0m while three other station has breached the alert level.

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