T’ganu chalet guests told to move out due to strong waves

MARANG: A group of holidaymakers faced a terrifying moment when their chalet almost collapsed due to strong waves.

Latifah Hamid, 51, said she and five other family members were resting when they saw the chalet’s gate and some coconut trees collapsing on Monday night.

She said the family had come to Terengganu from Kuala Lumpur for a holiday in nearby Pantai Rusila.

“We planned to holiday by the sea, but we never imagined that the waves would affect our accommodation,” she said.

Chalet owner Jamilah Abdullah told about 10 of her guests to move out upon hearing about the strong winds and waves.

“This is the first such incident in our 10 years of operating the chalet business.

“Luckily, our guests were alert and no untoward incident occurred,” she said.

Jamilah said 12 rooms located 50m from the beach were at risk of being washed away as the retaining walls built by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage two years ago had been destroyed.

Meanwhile, the public has been advised not to visit beaches in Terengganu during the high tide and big wave phenomenon.

State police deputy chief Datuk Hashim Abd Jalil said police would station personnel at high-risk locations, including beach resort areas, to ensure public safety.

“I advise residents living near the beaches to be always vigilant and to follow instructions from the relevant authorities,” he said yesterday, adding that the phenomenon should not be taken lightly.

The high tide and big wave phenomenon has caused some coastal areas such as Pulau Warisan, Batu Buruk, Pasar Payang and Dataran Shah Bandar to be inundated. — Bernama

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