KUALA KRAI: About 500 residents from four villages - Pasir Jering, Dusun Ban, Dusun Bunut, and Batu Pagar - near Chenulang have been cut off a 25-metre bridge collapsed due to the recent floods.

Villager Mohd Mahdam Abdullah, 30, from Kampung Pasir Jering, said he learnt of the incident at 1pm yesterday when the floodwaters started to recede.

"Although there was a major flood in 2014, this bridge did not collapse and this is the first time this has happened in our village.

"Because of the collapse, it will be difficult for us villagers to carry out daily activities such as buying kitchen essentials and others," he told reporters here today as he expressed hope that the authorities would build a new bridge immediately so that villagers would not be negatively affected.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Army 8th Brigade commander, Brigadier General Datuk Azudin Hassan said they would await instructions from the Disaster Operations Control Centre before taking further action.

"For now, we have prepared two Malaysian Armed Forces boats and one Civil Defence Force (APM) boat for residents in case of emergencies.

"Nearly 55 personnel from the police, Fire and Rescue department, military and APM have been deployed to ensure the safety of residents," he told reporters when he met them after inspecting the site.

-- BERNAMA