BE PREPARED, RESIDENTS ALONG SUNGAI MUAR TOLD

Wan Adnan Wan Deraman cleaning up after the floodwaters receded at his house in Kampung Pusu Tiga, Rantau Panjang yesterday

MUAR: Twenty families comprising 87 people at Kampung Sri Ma'amor in Tangkak were evacuated to two relief centres in the village when floodwaters rose to 30cm yesterday.

Tangkak assemblyman Goh Tee Tee said all precautionary measures had been taken in case the waters continued to rise.

Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Pagoh division chairman, said his division had mobilised a task force and resources should any floods occur.

He said the resources included volunteers, flood relief centres, means of transport such as lorries and fishing boats and food supply.

"I was informed by the district officer (Abdul Rahman Jaffar) that the district flood action committee is ready to face floods at any time.
"The state Welfare Department has also assured me that adequate supply of essential goods were ready."

Muhyiddin said people living in flood-prone areas along Sungai Muar were advised to place their household goods on higher ground and evacuate speedily when requested by the authorities.

In Port Dickson, about 15 people, including five children from Kampung Jangin, near here, were trapped for two days when the main road to their village was cut by floodwaters.

District Welfare Department officer Rahmat Sahat said the village was close to a swollen river which burst its banks following heavy rain on Sunday.

"It is dangerous for the villagers to leave due to the rising water.

"If the water level goes up, we will evacuate the villagers to a safer place."

Rahmat said about 20 people from Kampung Paya had been moved to the village's community centre on Sunday.

"We have given them food and blankets and they will only be allowed to go home when the situation improves."

One of them, Eli Marni Norman, 41, said it was a bleak Hari Raya Aidiladha for her and her family as a lot of their belongings were destroyed by the floods.

"It is also scary to go home as I saw two pythons entering my house."

Another victim, Sarni Abdullah, 54, lost her source of income.

"I am a single mother and my income depends on selling chicken and duck eggs and now I have lost all my chickens and ducks to the floods."

In Rantau Panjang, after a two-day respite, nearly 1,000 villagers living along the Sungai Golok have been told to be prepared for the second wave of floods as the Sungai Golok water level continued to rise.

The directive was given yesterday by the state DID when the river water rose 1.28m above its danger level of 8m at 11am yesterday.

Its director, Anuar Yahya, said despite the situation, none of the low-lying areas along Sungai Golok were flooded.

Anuar said its operations room was still open for the public to get the latest information on the water level.

Five people, including two students, lost their lives when floods hit Kelantan a week ago.

A survey of several areas here showed that villagers were carrying out their normal activities and only a few made preparations to move.

SOURCE: NEW STRAITS TIMES, 10 DECEMBER 2008