KOTA BARU: Every time floods hit Kelantan, it is likened to a carnival with many people in the state coming out in droves to flood-prone areas mainly to play and have fun in the water.
In areas such as Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas, it is not surprising to see hundreds of people, both young and old, brave and paddling through the waters, creating a carnival-like atmosphere knowing fully well that there are other risks involved which could also take away precious lives.
Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department Operations assistant director, Mohd Wildan Azhari said although there were no records of deaths from drowning during the floods last year, it was no excuse for people to turn floods into a water festival.
“Fishing, selling food, plunging into the water from bridges without any care or emphasis on safety were among the carnival-like activities carried out during floods in the previous years.
“Even more worrying were children seen carrying out dangerous acts like jumping in the rivers with strong current.
“Parents should watch over their children and not encourage them to play in flood waters which is not only hazardous but dirty and could transmit virus,” he told Bernama here yesterday.
Meanwhile, Kelantan deputy police chief SAC Abdullah Muhamad Piah, said the community should not turn the floods into a fiesta for residents, adding that family members should consider the potential dangers of natural disasters.
“It is not about drowning alone, the community needs to think about other dangers such as poisonous animals lurking in the water, power cuts, illnesses and even the threat of crimes.
“When they are playing in the water, it opens up opportunities for criminals to carry out house break-ins and vehicle thefts,“ he said. — Bernama
