JERANTUT: Bad weather in Kuala Tahan near here has hampered operations to fly out 84 local and foreign tourists, who are currently seeking relief at the hostel of SMK Jubli Perak Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah.
A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said heavy downpour and thick fog has forced the operations to be postponed to tomorrow.
He said three Royal Malaysian Air Force helicopters, the Fire and Rescue Department and a private owned had been put on standby since Wednesday evening to help evacuate the holiday-makers.
"The operations has been cancelled due to safety reasons and they will most likely be evacuated tomorrow but it depends on the weather.
"They have been briefed on the situation and are fully aware that the authorities are doing their best to bring them out of Kuala Tahan," he said.
Yesterday, the tourists along with 18 staffs from Mutiara Resort Taman Negara were brought to the hostel in several boats provided by the Fire and Rescue Department.
On Tuesday, the resort workers and guests were left stranded after the river burst its banks resulting the surrounding areas to be inundated with water up to one-meter-deep.
They were forced to remain at the resort as roads leading to Jerantut town was also cut off by floods.
"Extraordinarily rainfall" in Taman Negara over the past few days has resulted several low-lying areas including the main boat jetty in Kuala Tahan to be submerged and all activities has been temporarily suspended.