100 take refuge in surau as Kelantan floodwaters rise

 

The affected residents took refuge at the surau in Taman Perumahan Prima, Lubok Jong, Pasir Mas, Kelantan. (Bernama pic)

PASIR MAS: About 100 residents of Taman Perumahan Prima near Lubok Jong here were trapped by floods at a surau for more than six hours.

Siti Hariaty Bee Mohd Ismail, 39, said she sought refuge at the surau to save herself and her children after her home suddenly became inundated with water early today.

“My three children, aged between five months and 14 years, and I had to wade through floodwaters for 300m at 2am after my house became flooded with almost a metre of water.

“It was raining continuously and the water was rising fast. I immediately decided to seek refuge at the surau near my home,” she told reporters here.

Pasir Mas Civil Defence Force (APM) officer Mohd Arif Mohd Zain said they received a call from the affected residents at about 3am.

“Due to safety reasons, we only started evacuating the flood victims at 8am. Five personnel and a seven-tonne truck were sent to the scene.

“They have all been evacuated to a relief centre at Apam Putra hall in Pasir Mas,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Public Works Department said 14 roads in Kelantan have been closed to traffic due to the floods.

According to the department’s disaster management portal, five of the affected roads are in Pasir Mas — Jalan SK Gual Tok Deh, Jalan Banggol Kulim, Jalan Pengkalan Rakit-Batu Karang, Jalan Sekolah Cina and Jalan Bunga Raya, near Rantau Panjang.

Three of the routes closed are in Tanah Merah — Jalan Panglima Bayu-Rantau Panjang, Jalan Masuk Forest Checking Station-Kubor Kampung Nibong and Jalan Tanah Merah-Kusial-Kampung Ipoh-Batu 8.

In Kuala Krai, the roads that are closed are Jalan Jirat and Jalan Bukit Sireh-Kampung Bedal-Kuala Nal, while in Machang the affected stretches are Jalan Sungai Mati-Kerawang and Jalan Pangkal Meleret-Limau Hantu.

In Pasir Puteh, Jalan Semerak is closed, and in Tumpat the closure involves the Jalan Kota Bharu-Pasir Mas-Rantau Panjang federal road.

Two collapsed slopes were reported, along Jalan Felda Kemahang in Tanah Merah, which forced one lane to be closed to traffic, and the road from Simpang Kuala Nal (Pasir Era to Temangan) to the Kuala Krai border and Machang, which was closed to all traffic.

In Kuala Besut, Terengganu, 385 tourists, including 18 children and two infants, have been stranded on Pulau Perhentian since Friday due to inclement weather.

Pulau Perhentian Lodging Premises Association president Abdul Aziz Che Abdullah said choppy seas and strong winds forced boat services to the resort island to be suspended.

“The tourists are staying at 19 hotels and resorts on Pulau Perhentian.

“They are from Terengganu and outside the state. They are safe and doing well,” he told Bernama today. - FMT