December 11, 2007 14:49 PM
Floods Play Havoc With Terengganu Rainforest Challenge
KUALA TERENGGANU, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- Floods forced the results of the Terengganu International 4WD Rainforest Challenge (TIRC) 2007 to be postponed after most of the participants were trapped at Sungai Miah, Kuala Kerai, Kelantan due to floods.
TIRC director Luis J A Wee said this year's edition involving 350 participants from 35 countries had proven to be the toughest challenge yet since its inception in 1997.
The challenge posed by the floods was something which participants did not bargain for but proved to be a good experience for them, he said at the closing of the TIRC 2007 last night.
State Industrial Development and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Mohamed Awang Tera said extreme sports events like TIRC could help promote local tourism to foreign enthusiasts.
"This programme is special as it is the climax of all international tourism events for Terengganu this year before Visit Terengganu Year 2008," he added.
Meanwhile, in KUALA KRAI, 91 of the 178 Rainforest Challenge participants who had been stranded for four days have been rescued.
A Kuala Krai Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said they comprised Malaysians and foreigners.
Boats and 4WD vehicles were used in the search and rescue operation.
"They were rescued at 6.20pm yesterday. The operation had been going on since they were reported missing four days ago.
"Another 87 participants have yet to be rescued," he told Bernama.
He said efforts to rescue them would be difficult as they were deep in the jungle and separated by a river.
"Attempts to rescue them using a helicopter failed as it could not land because of bad weather," he added.
The TIRC which began on Dec 1 took participants through Jerteh, Besut, Setiu and Kenyir lake before ending at Pantai Batu Buruk, Kuala Terengganu.
The participants were from Denmark, Australia, Lebanon, Germany, South Korea, Italy, China, Poland, Argentina, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.
-- BERNAMA
Operation To Rescue 131 Stranded Expedition Members Begins
KUALA KRAI, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- An operation to rescue 131 participants of the Rainforest Challenge 2007, stranded in the forest following flooding in the area since three days ago, began today.
Kelantan deputy police chief SAC II Amir Hamzah Ibrahim said the expedition participants from 36 countries and in 69 four-wheel-drive vehicles were now stranded at Sungai Ebey, about 30km from here.
He said the operation was mounted as some of the participants, including a number of women, were injured, though not seriously, or having fever.
He was speaking to reporters at the rescue operation base set up at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Laloh here today. Also present was state Fire and Rescue director Yahya Madis.
Amir Hamzah said 24 members of the Malaysian army commando unit and Fire and Rescue Department were involved in the rescue operation.
"Fourteen boats are being used in the rescue operation while waiting for the water level in the river to recede. The team will take at least four hours to reach the area."
He said earlier effort to rescue the expedition members using helicopters failed due to the bad weather.
The Rainforest Challenge began on Dec 1, covering areas like Jerteh, Besut, Setiu and Tasek Kenyir in Hulu Terengganu and should be end at Batu Buruk beach, Kuala Terengganu, today.
However, due to the flood, they tried to find a way out via Kelantan and got stranded.
Yesterday, seven of the expedition members managed to get out of the area by using a simple bridge which they built themselves.
-- BERNAMA
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment