RESIDENTS of Kampung Tersang, Rantau Panjang, near Pasir Mas, have expressed concern over recurring floods in the village as a result of overflowing at the confluence of Sungai Lanchang and Sungai Golok. 

Resident Mohd Shahrul Fahmi Rosli, 26, said heavy rain on Friday caused the water level in both rivers to rise. 

He said the situation got worse when the flow of water from Sungai Lachang to Sungai Golok was disrupted by the construction of the Integrated River Basin Development Project in Sungai Golok.

“Waist-high floodwaters inundated my house compound yesterday morning. This is the fourth time our village has been hit by floods since February, November and December last year,” he said when met by Bernama today. 

A Bernama check found that residents had made early preparations by parking their vehicles on higher ground. 

Shahrul said he and his family were just about to return to normalcy, but may now have to go through the same ordeal again. 

“Now we have to deal with stagnant floodwaters, which often take up to a week to recede,” he said. 

Khairul Annuar Mohammad, 39, and his family are still tired from cleaning their house that was flooded in December. 

“It has been less than a month since our village was flooded. It is exhausting and we still haven’t finished cleaning,” he said.

Rubber tapper Abdullah Che Kub, 71, hopes the authorities can find a solution to this predicament. 

“We have to cope with three to four floods a year, which costs us tens of thousands of ringgit in damages, so I hope this matter can be resolved immediately by the authorities,” he said. – Bernama, February 5, 2023.