KOTA BHARU, 8 January 2015 - A group of 9 academicians, assistant engineers and officers of the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Civil Engineering and one from the School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering together with a PhD candidate led by the expert in water treatment and supply, Professor Dr. Mohd. Nordin Adlan was among the volunteers who help in the aftermath of the floods in Kelantan.

According to the Dean of the School of Civil Engineering, Professor Dr. Ahmad Farhan Mohd. Sadullah, the team’s mission was to work together with the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM) to clean the clogged tube wells for immediate schools use.

"They also need to conduct a survey and plan for short term and long term solutions by identifying the potential locations for new wells," said Ahmad Farhan.

According to another expert in water supply and wastewater engineering in the School of Civil Engineering who was also part of the team, Professor Dr. Hamidi Abdul Aziz, their main focus was to repair the wells but the immediate concern was to get water supply by using existing facilities to help schools that have not been cleaned up till now.

"Many wells are not functioning due to the flood, so we are trying to put everything back into working order as soon as possible, especially in the rural areas," said Hamidi.

They managed to get water to clean up the flood-hit schools in Tumpat and this effort is expected to be continued to the other schools.

"For long term we hope to help more schools by providing safe and clean well water supply, especially from wells that have been blocked due to the floods," said Hamidi. - Translation: Siti Faizah Abd Halim/Text: Mohamad Abdullah/Photo: Professor Dr. Hamidi Abdul Aziz