KUALA TERENGGANU: Eight members of a family cheated death in a water surge incident at the Lata Payong waterfalls in Sungai Tong, Setiu yesterday evening.

Setiu police chief ASP Burhanuddin Mustafa said police received a call about the incident from the Setiu Fire and Rescue Department at 5.20 pm, informing that several victims were trapped.

“A family from Petaling Jaya, comprising three men, four women and a child were at the waterfalls when they were hit by gushing waters.

“Three of them, a married couple and a child, fled to the banks and were trapped there,” he said in a statement today.

Burhanuddin said the three were rescued by firemen and villagers at about 6.10 pm.

He advised the public to avoid rivers and waterfalls for the time being due to uncertain weather of late.