RANTAU PANJANG: As the Sungai Golok overflowed its banks this morning, residents of several villages in Rantau Panjang are hastily working to protect their belongings and prepare for potential flooding, despite clear skies and no recent rainfall.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, villagers in Kampung Tersang, Kampung Lubok Gong, Kampung Lanchang, and Kampung Tok Deh are moving quickly to relocate vehicles and livestock to higher ground, anticipating further rises in water levels. The situation has turned into an urgent race against time as residents endeavor to safeguard their possessions from the encroaching floodwaters.
In Kampung Tersang, Siti Khadijah Osman, a 17-year-old student, is among those preparing for the worst. She has packed essential documents, notes, and her school uniform in readiness for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination scheduled for tomorrow. “The water started entering the yard around 9.30 am today. I, along with my six younger siblings, began packing the lighter items while waiting for my parents to return from work this afternoon,” she shared with BERNAMA.
Siti Khadijah is also involved in relocating larger appliances like the washing machine and refrigerator, utilizing a makeshift raft constructed from water barrels. She expressed readiness to stay at the school hostel if water levels continue to rise overnight, ensuring she can still sit for her exam.
In Kampung Lubok Gong, 90-year-old Melah Saifuddin recounted efforts her son has made to repair a bridge leading from their house to the main road. This 50-meter bridge is crucial for maintaining access during floods, which can exceed a meter in depth in this area. The repairs are part of ongoing preparations for the frequent flooding that affects the region.
According to infobanjir.water.gov.my, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage has reported that the water level of Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang has surpassed the danger threshold, currently standing at 10.28 meters, significantly above the danger level of 9.0 meters.