CAMERONS DAM DEBACLE: Give residents enough warning to leave - Palanivel tells TNB

Riverine residents here will soon be relocated to safer ground to protect them from flash flood and mudslide.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said the move would be carried out quickly as the danger of flash flood, coupled with mudslide was imminent, especially in the event of prolonged rainfall.

He said the matter was brought up before the Cabinet and had received approval from the government.

Palanivel, who is also Cameron Highlands member of parliament, said his ministry would seek the cooperation of the state government to help relocate residents who stayed near rivers.

"We will find land for them (affected residents) and build a suitable site. Staying by the river is unsafe," he told reporters after visiting the disaster area at the Bertam Valley in Ringlet here today.

Flash flood, followed by a mud slide in the Bertam Valley, occurred about 1am last Wednesday, leaving three people dead and 800 houses and 100 vehicles destroyed or damaged.

An Indonesian woman has been reported missing in the flash flood.

Meanwhile, Palanivel drew attention to the fact that some settlements built near rivers did not get approval from the authorities, making it difficult for the state government to act during a disaster.

In the meantime, he said an early allocation of RM100,000 had been approved by the district engineering office for cleaning and repair work at the disaster area which was expected to be completed in a month.

On the RM40 million allocation announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Palanivel said it would be used to deepen and widen the Bertam River over a three-kilometre stretch.

"The process will take between two and three years," he said.

The minister also urged Tenaga National Berhad to make an announcement on the release of the water at the dam, several hours earlier, including making announcements in the media, to enable residents to move out on time.

He also announced a RM100,000 aid through the community development foundation to affected residents in the incident. – Bernama