KUALA TERENGGANU: A man escaped unhurt after the Porsche Cayenne he was driving crashed into an elephant in Kampung Kolam, Setiu, near here, last night.
Setiu district police chief, Deputy Superintendent Afandi Husin, said the driver, Sharul Azma Che Samaon, 42, a company manager, escaped unhurt.
However, his Porsche Cayenne's windscreen, bumpers and lights were damaged in the incident, in addition to dents in the bonnet and fenders.
He said police received a call regarding the incident at 10.15pm.
"Preliminary investigations found that the accident is believed to have occurred while the victim was travelling from Rhu 10 to Lembah Bidong, and upon arrival at the location of the incident at KM45, Kampung Kolam on Jalan Kuala Terengganu - Kampung Raja, did not have time to avoid the animal, which was on the road," he said, in a statement.
Afandi said the elephant, which was seen roaming in the area at 6.30pm yesterday, was reported to have been injured in the leg, and fell at the scene before fleeing into the nearby forest about 10 minutes later.
"The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), Besut branch, has been informed for further action.
"Efforts to locate the elephant is still being carried out by nine members of Perhilitan Besut, with the help of the public. The elephant is believed to be heading to Bukit Putera, Setiu," he said.
Meanwhile, the state's Agriculture, Agro-Based Industry and Rural Development Committee chairman, Dr Azman Ibrahim, in a Facebook post, said that the elephant had been under the observation of state Perhilitan for the past few days, because it was found wandering around Setiu and was in the process of being caught and relocated.– BERNAMA