floods in kelantan

Floods in Kelantan

In December 2014, Kelantan was hit by the worst floods in the history of the State. Water levels of the recent floods superseded the floods of 1967. According to the National Security Council, the water level of Sungai Kelantan at Tambatan DiRaja, which has a danger level of 25 metres, reached 34.17 metres compared to 29.70 metres in 2004 and 33.61 metres in 1967. The levels at Tangga Krai, which has a danger level of 5 metres, reached 7.03 metres compared to 6.70 metres in 2004 and 6.22 metres in 1967.

The council identified two main reasons for the unprecedented magnitude of the floods in January. One is the changing climatic patterns and the adverse weather effects and second was  the result of uncontrolled land management and the swelling number of trees and exploitation of land resources.

 Kelantan was only accessible via the Kuala Terengganu-Kota Baru trunk road and by air.The other route to Kelantan through the East West Highway was closed to all traffic after part of the highway at the 65th kilometre near Puncak Titiwangsa collapsed. The Gua Musang-Kuala Krai road was also closed to all traffic while the route from Padang Besar through Haadyai was also impassable due to the floods.

The government was using helicopters and boats to send food supplies to places where flood victims were trapped as roads were submerged in water.