KUALA KRAI: An investigation by the Kelantan Forestry Department has revealed that illegal land clearing for farming and logging in forest reserves are the reasons for the recent flooding in Chuchoh Puteri.
Its director, Mohd Radhi Chu Abdullah, said Chuchoh Puteri residents were left stranded following heavy rainfall in the interior a week ago as water flowed down from the hills to low-lying areas and flooded 20 homes.
“Following our investigations, we discovered that illegal activities on state land and in forest reserves have been going on for more than five years and the loss of tree cover led to lack of protection and the land was exposed to the elements,” he told the New Straits Times today.
“The absorption function of the forest was lost due to the illegal activities on state land and within the Sungai Rek forest reserve.”
Radhi Chu noted the concern shown by Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob because the floods that hit Chuchoh Puteri were abnormal and the matter was compounded by outcry among villagers who pointed out that it was caused by logging activities upstream.
Together with the state Land and Mines Department, he said the investigating team had discovered illegal land clearing at several spots and illegal logging in the Sungai Rek forest reserve.
“My rangers found logging equipment left by illegal loggers as well as heavy equipment used to clear land for oil palm plantation,” he said.
“We are still uncertain if these illegal activities were conducted by individuals or a company and we are also trying to determine whether villagers were involved,” he added.
Radhi Chu said, since early this year, the department had recorded more than 20 cases of encroachment in forest reserves in Kuala Krai, Machang, Gua Musang and Pasir Putih.
On Dec 1, about 100 flood victims from 20 families in Kampung Chuchoh Puteri were stranded in their village, when water levels rose by more than a metre.
The villagers claimed that water from a catchment area on a nearby hill had overflowed into the village following nonstop heavy rains.
The menteri besar had initially denied that the incident was caused by illegal logging activities after rumours went viral on social media a few days after the incident.
He said he believed that the floods were caused by illegal land encroachment and immediately ordered the Forestry Department and other agencies to investigate.
Meanwhile, villagers affected by the flash floods are still traumatised by the incident.
Odd job worker Nik Zakuan Nik Mahmood said his family had yet to recover from the recent flash flood and was prepared to evacuate should the next wave of floods hit the village.
The 50-year-old father of two said they expected another round of floods to occur at the end of this month.