CAMERON HIGHLANDS: The mud flood tragedy which claimed the lives of four residents in the Bertam Valley here last year, is a lesson to people in the area to be sensitive to the warning siren.
K. Kumutham, 47, said prior to the incident, residents viewed lightly and ignored the warning siren signalling the release of water from the Sultan Abu Bakar Dam.
“The mud flood incident taught me and the other residents to be prepared to save ourselves and our family by moving to other areas,” she told Bernama today.
Kumutham, who has been operating a sundry shop for 20 years in the Bertam Valley, said when the siren sounded, the residents knew water from the Sultan Abu Bakar dam would be released and made preparations to move to a safer place.
She said her business was not affected by the incident.
Bertam Valley Development and Security Committee (JKKK) member Hok Mok Sang, 67, better known as Mat Noor, said the water of the dam was released in stages to prevent a repeat of last year’s incident.
He said the siren was sounded before the water was released to warn the residents to be alert.
“Rela, Fire and Rescue Department and JKKK work together with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) to inform residents the water from the dam would be released,” he said.
Meanwhile, food outlet trader Vong Swee Tin, 46, said the previous experience made residents more alert if it rained heavily and the siren went off.
“We are afraid of a recurrence of last year’s incident when there is heavy rain. We are ready to move out even before the siren goes off.
“The previous mud flood was worse as compared to today’s, because more homes and vehicles were damaged then,” she said.
The water at the Sultan Abu Bakar Dam was released since yesterday evening in stages, due to heavy rain and residents were ordered to move to high grounds.
In the incident about 6.30pm yesterday, three people were killed and five others injured when mud flood and landslides occurred in the Bertam Valley and Ringlet here. - BERNAMA