Thai early warning move a relief for Kelantan flood victims

New Straits Times

3 days ago

KOTA BARU: Residents living along Sungai Golok, who have been affected by annual floods for years, have expressed relief following Thailand's agreement to issue early warnings before releasing water from its upstream dams.
Farmer Abdul Rahman Salleh, 57, of Kampung Lanchang, said the move would help reduce their losses caused by the floods.
"We often had little time to respond to rising water levels every time floods hit our village.
"Even a few hours' notice can make a big difference. We can move our belongings and take our children to safety," he said.
Another resident, housewife Noraini Mat, 42, said the monsoon seasons in recent years had been traumatic for many flood victims.
"Sometimes, the water rises overnight. We only find out when it's already too late.
"This news gives us some hope," said the mother of five.
On June 5, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Thailand had agreed to notify Malaysia at least three to four days in advance before releasing water from its dams, to allow preparations against potential overflow of Sungai Golok.
Zahid said he had raised the matter during a meeting with his Thai counterpart, Anutin Charnvirakul, who is also the home minister, on the sidelines of the 8th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) in Geneva.