TUMPAT: Residents from 10 villages here, hit by floods when Sungai Golok overflowed its banks, have turned to boats as their main mode of transportation.

       Some of the affected villages are Kampung Kajang Sebidang, Palas, Bendang Pak Yong, Kubang Sawa, Chenerong Siam and Kuala Jambu.

       Shapawi Kamarrudin, 45, a resident of Kg Kajang Sebidang, said boats are now their preferred mode of transport after most of the main roads connecting the 10 villages were inundated by up to 1m of water.

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       "When water from Sungai Golok (flowed into) the villages, all the vehicles were brought to higher ground about 5km from this settlement.

       "This area will also look like an island in a week or two because the floodwaters will remain stagnant before flowing back into the sea,” he told reporters here on Thursday (Dec 28).

       It was found that most residents in the affected villages had boats to move around during floods.

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       A Kg Kuala Jambu resident, 48-year-old Ramli Yunus, said more boats have been used since Wednesday (Dec 27) evening after Sungai Golok overflowed its banks.

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       "We have to go through three to five kilometres of floodwater to reach dry land, where we can use the vehicles we parked there earlier.

       "This has become a norm for us each monsoon season. Some villages use private boats or chartered boats,” he said.

       Meanwhile, a resident from Kubang Sawa, 31-year-old Mohd Asri Ismail, said the demand for chartered boats has allowed him to earn extra money.

       "I charge RM3 per journey. I can make around RM200 daily from providing chartered boat services from 6.30am to 8pm,” he said. – Bernama