RANTAU PANJANG RESIDENTS MAKE FINAL PREPARATIONS, DETERMINED TO AVOID LOSSES

PASIR MAS, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- Most of the population around Rantau Panjang has begun making final preparations and taking early steps to face the Northeast Monsoon (MTL), which started on Nov 5.

The preparations involve packing and storing important items in elevated places, building rafts, and constructing special pathways using planks in high areas to evacuate family members to safer locations if the flood situation worsens.

These initiatives are being undertaken to prevent significant losses, as previous floods in the area have caused considerable damage to villagers' belongings.

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Food stall owner Rosnani Mat Jenin, 29, who lives in Kampung Lubuk Jong, said that her area floods every year as her home is situated near Sungai Golok, which forms part of the border with Thailand.

"I have lived in this village for over a decade, and every time there is a flood, my house gets submerged because of heavy rain, due to the overflow of Sungai Golok."

"Therefore, the residents of this village have no choice but to move furniture, mattresses, electronics, and important documents to higher ground," he told Bernama here.

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Fazrein Shah Hussin, 18, a student at a higher education institution who lives in the same village, also helped his father lift electronics to a specially built hut in a higher area.

"I came back during my semester break to help my parents pack and gather electronic items such as irons, washing machines, televisions, and others, placing all of them in boxes.

"When the flood occurs, my parents only need to evacuate to save themselves and take essential items to the temporary relief centre. Even though I am far away, I don't worry when the flood happens because we have already made preparations," he said.

A labourer, Rosdi Abdullah, 62, who lives in Kampung Lubuk Jong Hilir, said that when flooding occurs, he and his brother will build a special pathway from planks to help evacuate family members.

"My house is located by Sungai Golok and the area where I live is low-lying, causing the lower part of the house to be flooded up to waist.

"Therefore, I built a special 100-metre pathway supported by metal to evacuate eight family members, including my 86-year-old mother, in the event of a flood," he said, adding that it took two weeks to complete the pathway.

Rosdi said he also built a special hut to store all important items and electronics in a higher area.

Ornamental bird seller Mohamad Hirwan Faizal, 42, who lives in Kampung Tersang, took the initiative to build a raft house.

"If the flood submerges the roof of the house, we are less worried because our belongings will be safe on the raft house."

Mohamad Hirwan said that when flooding occurs, he places all his ornamental birds, including chickens and geese, on a special raft with a roof designed just for the animals.

He also said that floods occur five times a year in his village, as it is located at the farthest point next to Sungai Golok.

The Northeast Monsoon, also known as the monsoon season in Malaysia, began on Nov 5 and will continue until March 2025, with five to seven episodes of heavy rainfall expected in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Sarawak, and Sabah.

-- BERNAMA