Villagers go by boat rides after bridge is flooded

KUALA KRAI: About 1,000 residents near here have had to rely on boats as the only transport link to their villages was cut off after Kuala Pertang bridge was flooded after continuous rain since Wednesday.

A resident, Ahmad Che Nok, 72, said the affected villages were Kampung Kuala Pertang, Tanjung Kala, Pasir Jering and Tanjong Pagar.

“The bridge has been rebuilt three times and the residents have been using it every day for over 30 years. However, every time there is a flood, the bridge will be inundated by water.

“Residents in these four villages have no other alternative but to rely on boats if they want to go out for important matters such as buying food, groceries and seeking medical treatment,” he told reporters in Kampung Kuala Pertang today.

He said residents would be stranded at each monsoon season, because the 2.4m high main bridge would be flooded, as happened when waters rose to 3.7m several days ago.

Ahmad said it usually took two to three weeks for the water to recede, depending on the weather.

“We have been facing this difficulty for a long time and hope the authorities will upgrade the bridge,” he added.

Boat operator Mohd Sufakimi Che Noh, 26, said for the last three days he had been sending residents travelling between Tanjung Kala and Kuala Pertang for work and shopping groceries.

“Every day from 7am to 7pm, I am ready to bring those who need the boat service, and the fare is only RM2,” he said, adding that on average he carried 30 to 40 passengers daily.

According to Sufakimi, the river’s swift-flowing waters could be dangerous to small boats and he hoped people would donate life jackets to him.

More than 6,500 people evacuated in Terengganu and Kelantan

Terengganu and Kelantan continued to record an increase in the number of flood evacuees and more temporary relief centres were opened.

The number of evacuees in Terengganu rose to 5,776 people from 1,478 families at 4pm compared to 4,094 people from 996 families at 7am today.

In Kelantan, the number of evacuees at 25 relief centres increased to 851 people from 233 families as at 5pm compared to 531 victims this morning.

Terengganu disaster management official Che Adam A Rahman said the worst affected district is Kemaman, where the number of evacuees rose to 4,729 people from 1,135 families compared to 3,698 people from 867 families this morning. However, the number of relief centres in Kemaman remained at 25.

In Dungun, the number of evacuees also increased to 326 people while in Hulu Terengganu, 710 people from 245 families had been placed at relief centres.

The Department of Irrigation and Drainage reported that five rivers in four districts had exceeded the danger level as at 4pm today.

In Kemaman, Sungai Tebak at the Tebak Bridge was at 19.55m, one metre higher than the danger level, and Sungai Kemaman in Air Putih was 0.25m higher than the 14m danger level.

Three rivers in Hulu Terengganu also exceeded the danger levels: Sungai Telemong at Kuala Ping; Sungai Nerus in Kampung Bukit, Setiu; Sungai Dungun at Jerangau bridge.

Kelantan officials said Pasir Mas had the most number of victims, with 452 people from 139 families; followed by Kuala Krai (231 victims) and Tanah Merah (168 people from 37 families).

Two rivers had exceeded the danger levels: Sungai Galas at Limau Kasturi, Gua Musang, was one metre higher then the danger level of 59m, and Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang was at 10.42m (danger level 10m).

Water levels at six other rivers also exceeded warning levels. The rivers are Kusial Baru in Tanah Merah; Sungai Kelantan in Kusial Tanah Merah; Sungai Golok in Jenob Tanah Merah; Kg Sungai Nal, Kuala Krai; Sungai Kelantan at Kota Bharu Customs jetty; and Sungai Golok in Kuala Jambu, Tumpat.