39 locations at risk of ‘watershed’ in Kedah – Fire Department
ALOR SETAR: 39 locations of recreation centers and waterfalls in Kedah are listed in areas at risk of watershed and mud floods.
Assistant Director of the Fire and Rescue Operations Division, JBPM Kedah, Senior Fire Superintendent I Mohamadul Ehsan Mohd Zain said that previously only 18 areas were identified, but after monitoring and inspection by the fire department, 21 new locations were also identified.
He said, among the recreation centers are in Baling, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Guar Chempedak, Kulim, Kuala Nerang, Sungai Petani, Langkawi, Pendang, Bandar Baharu, Sik, Jitra and Yan.
“Baling has the highest number which is 11 locations including Lata Celak Iboi (Kupang), Teratak Simpul (Kampung Weng Dalam), Air Panas (Ulu Legong), Kuala Kedua and Lubuk Badak (Ulu Legong), Sungai Pam (Kampung Luar Doing), Lata Baling, Lubuk Pedati, Lata Nering, Lata Bayu and Lata Bukit Hijau.
“In Sik district, there are five resort areas namely Lata Mengkuang, Rimba Taqwa resort, Lata Charok Rambai, Lata Batu Hampar Hujung Bandar and Sungai Viral in Jeneri.
“While in Bukit Kayu Hitam Surau Sungai Batu, it is known that water heads occur frequently in addition to Puteri Mandi Recreation Camp, Sungai Badak Recreation Park and Sungai Bukit Kuari in Guar Chempedak,” he said in a statement today.
Mohamadul Ehsan said Sungai Sedim Recreation Camp, Ulu Paip Recreation Camp in Karangan and Bukit Hijau Cascade and Junjung Air Putih Recreation Center in Kulim while Bukit Wang Recreation and Resort Center in Jitra were also listed.
Padang Terap District, two tourist hotspots which are Puncak Janing Jungle Eco Park and Sungai Seraya Waterfall Jalan Padang Sanai are also not exempt from the possibility of water head.
“In the Pendang district at the Bukit Perak Recreational Forest in Sungai Tiang and the Batu Hampar Air Putih waterfall in the Bandar Baharu district.
“Langkawi, four locations namely Lubuk Semilang, Durian Perangin, Telaga Tujuh and Temurun Waterfall,” he said.
He explained further, the three focus areas in the Kuala Muda district are at the Batu Pahat waterfall, Archaeological Museum, Damai Park Resort and Tupah Resort.
While in Yan, the three areas where water heads often occur are in Titi Hayun, Seri Perigi waterfall and Batu Hampar waterfall.
He said, all fire station chiefs in each district have been instructed to be vigilant and to always conduct regular monitoring to instruct visitors to leave if there are patches of black clouds in the upper part of the hill.
The sign of a water head event is when the water turns cloudy, the roar of the water becomes strong and flows fast bringing with it blocks and wooden branches.
Therefore, he reminded the public to be careful when visiting the recreation area and to leave the area immediately if the weather changes and it becomes dark.
source – Adie Sufian Zulkefli
