RANTAU PANJANG: More than 1,000 residents here have begun preparing for the upcoming monsoon season and the floods that come with it annually.
In a report on Buletin Utama TV3, residents of Kampung Lubuk Gong, Lubuk Gong Hilir, and Kampung Tersang in Rantau Panjang expressed concern about this year's floods, particularly due to the flood retention wall currently under construction by neighbouring Thailand.
Two residents interviewed in the clip said they had already started storing important items in high places to protect them from potential flooding.
One of them, Fazrin Hussein from Kampung Lubuk Gong, said he was concerned about this year's monsoon, despite having already made all the necessary preparations to evacuate when instructed.
"Everything is almost packed, and we are prepared for the floods, as we are every year. Normally, we can predict when the water will start rising, but now we don't know what to expect. Early preparations, like now, make it easier for us to move to the temporary shelters," he said.
Fazrin added that residents of Kampung Lubuk Gong, Lubuk Gong Hilir, and Kampung Gersang had mostly prepared the necessary items and important documents to keep them safe in case of flooding.
"Clothing has also been packed, so it will be easier to relocate to the shelters if necessary."
Residents of the three flood-prone villages in the area - Kampung Tersang, Kampung Tasik Bakung, and Kampung Kusar - also received 30 rafts measuring about 13 metres long from an NGO as part of a charity project estimated to cost RM75,000. Each raft is estimated to cost RM2,500.