TUMPAT: Police have confirmed that two elderly men drowned while monitoring their livestock in two villages in Machang Sunday (Dec 1), bringing flood-related fatalities in Kelantan to five.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said that both victims had refused to evacuate to a temporary relief centre (PPS) despite their homes being flooded.
"The two victims, aged 72 and 78, were found drowned in Kampung Kuala Sat and Kampung Gelung Gajah after refusing to evacuate.
"I advise members of the public affected by the floods to comply with authorities' instructions to relocate to PPS," he told reporters at the Tumpat district police headquarters on Sunday afternoon.
Mohd Yusoff said the two victims had refused to evacuate as they wanted to tend to their livestock, such as cows and goats.
"Some even built well-crafted rafts to secure their livestock and prevent them from being swept away by strong flood currents," he said.
Commenting on a flooded stretch of state road near Taman Sri Bayu here, Mohd Yusoff said the road is still impassable, and vehicles heading to Pengkalan Kubor must use alternative routes.
He said the affected road was commonly used by locals travelling between Tumpat and Pengkalan Kubor.
"I’ve received reports that several cars were swept away in the incident, but no individuals have come forward to file police reports," he said.
"So far, we do not have a full report on the number of vehicles carried away by the strong currents," he added.
The road, originally an elevated route used by villagers to park their vehicles during the floods, gave way during heavy flooding.
"When the floods hit, car owners left their vehicles there and evacuated to PPS. The strong currents eventually caused the road to sink," he explained.
Mohd Yusoff urged the public to avoid gathering at the site, as the area is unsafe and could collapse further at any time.
On Nov 29, the state road near Taman Sri Bayu was cut off due to flooding at around 5 pm.
Kelantan Public Works Department director Nik Soh Yaacoub said it immediately closed the route to all vehicles and installed warning signs. – Bernama
