KUALA TERENGGANU: A total of 44 villages near river mouths and beaches in seven districts in Terengganu are at risk of being hit by floods following king tides which are forecast to occur in the state beginning Friday (Dec 23).

The Terengganu Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID), in a statement Thursday (Dec 22), said in Besut, the villages involved were located near the Sungai Besut river mouth, namely Kampung Pengkalan Atap, Kampung Teluk Budu, Kampung Pantai and Kampung Nail.

In Setiu, the areas expected to be hit are Kampung Gong Batu, Kampung Pengkalan Gelap, Kampung Limau Nipis, Kampung Kuala Setiu, and Kampung Fikri near Sungai Setiu, apart from Kampung Telaga Papan near the Sungai Merang river mouth.

In Kuala Terengganu and Kuala Nerus districts, the locations at risk near Sungai Terengganu are Kampung Seberang Takir, Kampung Baru Seberang Takir, Kampung Ulu Takir, Kampung Pak Tu Yu, Kampung Tanjung Gelam, Kampung Pulau Rusa, Kampung Losong, Kampung Pulau Kambing, Kampung Teluk Pasu, and Kampung Pulau Sekati.

Those near Sungai Ibai, also in Kuala Terengganu, are Kampung Kubang Ikan, Kampung Kuala Ibai, and Kampung Taman Purnama, while in Marang, villages along Pantai Rusila and near Sungai Merchang river mouth, Kampung Merchang, are also at risk.

The statement said that in Dungun, the areas expected to be hit are located near the Sungai Paka river mouth, namely Kampung Kuala Paka, Kampung Tebing Tembah, Kampung Pinang Merah and Kampung Durian Mentangau.

Those at risk near Sungai Dungun are Kampung Seberang Pintasan, Kampung Teluk Bidara, Kampung Tanjung Jara, Kampung Che Lijah, Kampung Alor Makbah, Kampung Bijangga, Kampung Sungai Buaya, and Kampung Sungai Udang while Kampung Sura near the Sungai Sura river mouth is also exposed to danger.

In Kemaman, the locations at risk are near the Sungai Kemaman river mouth, namely Pulau Skepeng Kuala Kemaman; Pengkalan Cicar Bukit Kuang; Kampung Bakau Tinggi; Kuala Kemaman and Bukit Kuang; while Kampung Baru Kemasik near Sungai Kemasik is also at risk.

Terengganu DID advised residents in these places and the public to visit the publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my portal for the latest information on river water levels and rain. – Bernama