SHAH ALAM, 24 Dec: More than 100 local and foreign tourists are believed to have been stranded at the Mutiara Taman Negara Resort after Sungai Tembeling in Kuala Tahan surpassed its danger level at 76.56 metres (danger level 68.00 metres).
It was learnt that the park recorded its highest rainfall ever since the major flood in 1971.
The Kuala Tahan tourist jetty had to be closed due to swift current in the river which is dangerous to boats.
Quoting Bernama, a resort employee who declined to be identified said the foreign tourists holed up in the hotel were from Canada, Germany, France and Holland while there were also some local tourists.
He said that the tourists should have left today but the dangerous river has cut off the place from the outside world and we are running low on food.
“Nonetheless we ensure the safety and wellbeing of tourists and if necessary we will use a helicopter to drop food for us tomorrow,” he said.
According to him, a special meeting with police and Jerantut district office was held to discuss measures to get all tourists out safely.
Meanwhile in Kuantan, more than 5,000 residents living in Sungai Lembing are trapped from the outside world as flood waters have cut off the main exit road to Kuantan and other routes with certain stretches of the roads being under 1.5m of flood waters for between 200m to 400m, since yesterday.
According to Sungai Lembing police station head Sgt-Major Arshad Yacob, the three main roads involved are Jalan Sungai Lembing-Kuantan (Simpang Tiga Panching), KM31 Jalan Sungai Lembing-Kuantan, Jalan Kampung Nadak.
“The roads are closed to all traffic and the residents cannot go to Kuantan to buy anything,” he said.
“The Sungai Lembing police station has become a flood relief centre for 10 flood victims from two families,” he told Bernama when contacted, today.
The Penghulu of Kampung Ulu Kuantan, Roslan Amat, said that town of Sungai Lembing began flooding yesterday afternoon before receding at 3pm, but it began flooding again at 4pm, reaching chest height at midnight yesterday.
“Although we have lost contact, the supply of food items so far is sufficient for two days for the residents trapped in Sungai Lembing.
“At the same time, we have contacted the Department of Social Welfare to ask for supplies,” he said.
Meanwhile, the owner of a chalet called Time Capsule, Young Yeong Leong, 56, said two of his tenants were also trapped in Sungai Lembing town and that he could not provide food for them since yesterday, due to the floods.
“I was told that 30 tourists in another chalet are also trapped in a similar situation,” said Young.
NS
