DESPITE YEARLY FLOODS, RESIDENTS NEAR SUNGAI GOLOK REMAIN ON HIGH ALERT

TUMPAT, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- Although accustomed to the annual floods, residents living near Sungai Golok remain on high alert as they brace for the possibility of another wave.

Kampung Simpangan, Kampung Bendang Pak Yong, Kampung Kajang Sebidang and Kampung Kubang Sawa are among the areas that typically face the earliest impact when Sungai Golok overflows, due to their proximity to the river.

According to the Department of Irrigation and Drainage’s (DID) Infopublic Banjir data, the water level of Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas stood at 10.32 metres as of 10.30 am today, surpassing the danger level of 9.00 metres and continuing in an upward trend.

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For Kampung Simpangan resident Mohamad Arif Faiz Azmi, 33, floodwaters inside his home have remained at about 0.5 metres following several days of heavy rain, leaving him and his family unable to sleep soundly each night for fear that the water may rise further.

“Last year, the floods struck early in the morning. The water rose to nearly two metres, and many residents had no time to save their belongings because it happened so quickly,” he said.

“Now, all our important belongings have been moved to higher ground, the boat is ready, and we monitor the water level almost every hour, worried that a second wave may come suddenly,” he told Bernama.

Meanwhile, food stall trader Suria Jaafar, 49, said floodwaters in her premises had risen to knee level, forcing her to temporarily relocate about 100 metres away so she could continue operating her business.

“This time, the flooding was mainly due to continuous rain over the past few days. Last year, I suffered nearly RM7,000 in losses after my shop equipment was swept away by the strong currents,” she said.

-- BERNAMA