Hot weather takes its toll on Kelantan rivers

Drying up: It’s worrying time for residents in Sungai Ketil as the river is at its lowest ebb.

GUA MUSANG: The hot weather over the past three months has taken its toll on most rivers in the state, including Sungai Ketil near here.

Sungai Ketil, a popular picnic spot, has become so shallow that stones which are normally hidden underwater is now showing.

Local resident Mazila Shariff, 36, said she had never seen the river this shallow before and was worried it would affect water supply to the district.

“This river is among the cleanest here. We depend on raw water from the river.

“It is also a favourite spot for us to cool ourselves in this hot weather,” she said yesterday.

Another regular visitor Mohd Firdaus Mohd Naim, 21, said the heat had reduced the number of visitors to the river.

“It used to be deep and the water was very clear. There were also many rapids that attracted people from far and near to come for a picnic,” he said.

He said he and his friends had been coming to the river almost daily to cool themselves in the past three months.

“The river is becoming shallower by the day. But the weather is so hot we are still taking dips in the shallow water,” he said.

In Ipoh, the water level at the Bukit Merah reservoir is at a critical level at 5m.

State Infrastructure, Public Utili­ties, Water and Energy Committee chairman Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paha­ru­din said 8.5mm rainfall was recorded at the Cerapan Kg Sempe­neh station on Friday night but it was not significant to improve the water level.

“Based on our standard operating procedure, we have started to reduce supply to irrigate padi fields, and if the situation does not improve, the supply may be stopped.

“However, for the time being, water supply for domestic use is not affected,” he said.