KUALA TERENGGANU: Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin is planning a major upgrade of its drainage system to tackle the flood problem that it faces every year.
Vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Yahaya Ibrahim said the university will build new monsoon drains around its main campus in Gong Badak as a long term-solution.
“Every year during the monsoon season, our campus gets flooded. We have to be better prepared for floods and we have to construct monsoon drains as a long-term solution.”
“How soon this project will be completed will depend on fundings. So, it might take some time,” Dr Yayaha told reporters at the university’s flood operations centre here yesterday.
This year, the campus and the surrounding areas of Gong Badak were among the worst hit by floods in Terengganu. Two buildings at the campus were inundated although the damage is minimal.
“We were prepared this time round and were able to move such items as furniture and electrical appliances,” said Dr Yahaya.
Over 70 students who rent houses in Gong Badak were forced to evacuate and have been temporarily placed at the university hostels.
Dr Yahya said the flood operations and medical centres were on standby to help students.
The flood situation in Terengganu worsened yesterday, with 2,352 people forced to evacuate as of 12.30pm.
However, the rain stopped later in the day, and some of the victims are expected to return home as the situation improved in some areas.-thestaronline
