Langkawi tour operators advised to halt water activities

Here to help: Fire and Rescue Department personnel wading through floodwaters in one of the affected villages in Kuala Muda, Sungai Petani.

LANGKAWI: The Langkawi Disas­ter Management Committee has advised tour operators on the island to temporarily shelve marine tourism and recreation activities such as jet skiing and island hopping due to the current weather.

Its chairman Isahak Murat said the rain and occasional thunderstorms were expected to continue.

He said the disaster management operations room at the Langkawi District Office had been opened and could be reached at 04-966 6963.

The operations room had re­­ceived reports that five roads on the island were flooded, but only two were closed to traffic, he added.

The two roads were Jalan Mata Air in Mukim Ulu Melaka and the road to Gunung Raya.

More than 10 vehicles were da­­maged after being hit by falling trees along Jalan Pantai Kok here, while roofs of several houses were torn off by sudden strong winds.

In Sungai Petani, 581 victims from 144 families in the Kuala Muda district were affected by flash floods.

Malaysia Civil Defence Force Offi­cer for Kuala Muda District, Civil Defence Kapt Azahar Ahmad, said heavy rain occurred from 9pm on Thursday until early yesterday morning. — Bernama