Crocodile in monsoon drain causes stir in Kuantan

KUANTAN: A two-metre long crocodile was sighted in a monsoon drain in Kampung Tanah Putih here on Thursday.

News on the estuarine crocodile, or buaya tembaga saw residents from the nearby housing settlements coming in droves to take a closer look at the animal.

Villager Zabedah Md Derus, 63, said the crocodile appeared unshaken by the curious crowd and remained by the concrete drain for quite some time.

"Just like me...the entire village is shocked as the animal was so huge. I have been staying here for more than 40 years and never came across a crocodile in the area," she said.

Meanwhile State National Parks and Wildlife Department director Datuk Khairiah Mohd Sharif advised members of the public to be cautious of the reptile.

"The crocodile might have been swept away during high tide from Sungai Kuantan and ended in the monsoon drain," she said, adding officers had been deployed to monitor the animal.