Work in progress: Work on Phase One of the Baroh Tok Jiring flood mitigation project going in Kuala Nerus.
KUALA TERENGGANU: The state government has embarked on nine major flood mitigation projects worth RM154mil after experiencing one of the worst floods last year, said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman.
Apart from the nine, two other such projects – the building of water passages from Kampung Padang Bual mosque to Sungai Angga bridge in Besut and flood mitigation work in Taman Rakyat in Hulu Terengganu district – have been completed.
“The work we have done includes to deepen, widen and straighten the winding rivers which slowed down the flow of water into the sea,” he said yesterday.
Of the nine projects, three will be completed by December, three next year, two in 2017, and one in 2018.
The projects, said Ahmad Razif, would help cut floods in Terengganu by more than 70%.
Also included was the Chukai-Kemaman Phase Two flood mitigation project under the 11th Malaysia Plan, which costs more than RM340mil, he added.
“Each time there is a major flood, the state incurs losses amounting to millions of ringgit,” he said, adding that the state government lost RM304mil because of floods last year.
He said the state had to immediately implement the flood mitigation projects and not merely place it as a priority under the 11th Malaysia Plan, which will only start next year.
“There is definitely a need to give priority to flood mitigation projects in the state,” he added.
