Floods: Fire Dept to monitor situation in Hulu Terengganu from air

KUALA BERANG: The Terengganu Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) will conduct aerial monitoring in areas severely affected by the floods, especially in Hulu Terengganu, to ensure a smooth evacuation process for flood victims.

Its director, Md Hilman Abd Rashid, said the department's helicopter was currently evacuating a patient from Pulau Perhentian to Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital in Kuala Terengganu.

"Once this is completed, the helicopter will continue to Kampung Lubok Pait area in Hulu Terengganu to monitor the situation, as the area is currently only accessible by boat.

"Our personnel are also on the ground with some who have lost communication. For now, we have evacuated about 200 residents to the higher ground using boats," he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Kampung Lubok Pait was among the areas badly affected when the water rose sharply since early this morning, and several temporary relief centres (PPS) in several villages in Hulu Terengganu were also flooded, causing concern among the residents.

FLOOD-TERENGGANU (FIRE DEPT) 2 (LAST) KUALA BERANG

Several viral videos and photos on social media showed many residents trapped on the roofs of their houses and high places after their areas were cut off, and could only be accessed by boat.

Meanwhile, the Terengganu Public Works Department (JKR), in a statement, said that 10 roads in five districts in Terengganu were closed to all types of vehicles due to the floods that hit the area in the past three days.

It said that the roads which are closed to all types of vehicles in Kemaman are Jalan Pelantoh which is flooded up to 0.6 metres (m), Jalan Air Putih (Seberang Tayor at 0.3m and Sungai Pinang Water Treatment Plant at 0.76m) while in Besut, Jalan Jertih- Keruak was closed after it was submerged in floodwater as deep as one metre.

"In Setiu, the road closures involve the Jalan Pengkalan Merbau-Pelong (Kampung Seri Kenangan) which is flooded by 1.5m of water, Jalan Kampung Bukit-Alur Lik (2m) and Jalan Permaisuri-Kampung Hulu Seladang (0.75m).

"In Dungun, Jalan Tepus-Kuala Jengai (Kampung Rantau Panjang) is submerged under 0.8m of floodwater while in Hulu Terengganu, the roads which are closed to all types of vehicles are Jalan Simpang Gaung to Sungai Tong (1.2m) and Jalan Bukit Diman-Tersat near Kampung Pengkalan Ajal (2m)," it said.

Road users are advised to plan their journey by using alternative routes proposed by JKR, and are warned against taking risks by using the affected roads, to avoid any untoward incidents.

-- BERNAMA