KOTA BHARU: The damage to the Integrated River Basin Development Project (PLSB) embankment in Rantau Panjang has worsened and now stretches up to 100 metres.
Kelantan Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) acting director, Marinamarican Abdullah, said that previously, only a 20-metre section of the embankment was damaged.
"We have gone to the site to examine the damaged embankment. We found that the broken section has now stretched to 100 metres.
"We have so far identified two broken sections, namely a 100m stretch in Kampung Lachang, and a section near the General Operations Force (GOF) post in Pok Teh Kana, measuring 10 metres," he said.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had previously approved an immediate allocation of RM6 million to construct spillway structures at the Sungai Golok PLSB embankment.
Anwar said the spillway structure would be built at three locations, including at the broken sections.
Marinamarican, meanwhile, said the department is in the process of appointing a contractor for the three spillway structures.
"The construction is expected to take around six month. The addition of three spillway structures is expected to reduce the severity of floods especially in Rantau Panjang," he said.
Asked whether the broken embankment was due to sabotage as claimed, Marinamarican replied in the negative.
He said the high water level of Sungai Golok at 11.03m was what led to the damage.
"We have to understand that the Sungai Golok PLSB embankment is 10-metres high. The flood waters were 11.03m and as such, was higher than the embankment.
"That was what caused the damage. Water coming in from the Thai side also contributed to the rise in floodwater levels," he said.
On Saturday, NST quoted a department source as saying that the damage to the embankment at Sungai Golok PLSB might have been an act of sabotage.
The source had claimed that it was likely a form of protest by residents who had expressed discontent over the persistent flooding in the area attributed to the ongoing PLSB.
The source alleged that the DID had lodged a report over residents' misconduct causing damage to the PLSB embankment. It was also understoof that legal proceedings were underway.
It is understood that the DID had, via social media postings, identified the culprits who broke the embankment.
