Floods: It is business as usual for Taman Negara, Pahang

National park, Taman Negara Pahang will not be closed despite major floods and heavy rainfall occurred in most areas in the East Coast region.

The national park management was responding to the flurry of public queries after news broke that the park would be closed until end of January, 2015 earlier today.

It was reported his morning that more than 100 local and foreign tourists are believed to have been stranded at the Mutiara Taman Negara Resort after Sungai Tembeling in Kuala Tahan surpassed its danger level at 76.56 meters.

“We are not going to close the park,” said Mutiara Taman Negara Resort manager, Nathan Vaithi.

“People would consider the park is closed as the two main entries were inaccessible and cut off after the area was hit with non-stop torrential rain. This is the main reason why the public considers the park is closed.

Vaithi, however assures that the closure will last between three and four days since only a few areas near the national park was hit by non-stop torrential downpour since Dec 21.

“Everything will be fine soon after water has receded,” he said.

Tourists who are stranded in the park, Vaithi said everyone in the resort were reportedly safe.

“For now, the guests are safe. We are currently working with Jerantut Fire Department to dispatch them to a safer place.

Since road access is almost limited, the department will utilise boats and a helicopter to the resort for evacuation of the 102 local and foreign tourists who were stranded at the park.

Evacuation process is expected to be completed by the end of today.