Cameron Highlands District Officer Abdul Rahman Hamzah said the construction of the new bridge by the Public Works Department would be a relief for 853 residents nearby after the collapse of the existing bridge early Sunday morning due to heavy water currents.

“The construction materials will arrive at most, this evening. However, the construction of the (new) bridge is very easy and it will not take too much time.

“The Bailey bridge will be constructed where the existing bridge collapsed to help the residents go about their daily lives,” he told Bernama here yesterday.

The 12.2 metre-long old bridge was situated in between two streams, namely Sungai Tringkap and Sungai Kuala Terla before the rivers meet the main river, Sungai Ulu Telom.

A resident, R. Kumaransamy, 64, requested the state government to build a more stable and higher permanent bridge to ensure the bridge would not collapse again.

The father of three said his family had a sleepless night following heavy downpour early Sunday morning, dreading any eventuality.

“It did cross my mind whether a disaster could happen. The following morning, I saw the bridge had collapsed,” he said, adding that was the worse incident he had encountered in his 40-year stay in the area.

Orang Asli Robert Brook, 37, from Kampung Getah was relieved the incident occurred during the school holidays.

“If would be a hassle for the residents and schoolchildren if it happened during school days as the steel bridge would have been too dangerous for them to use.

“There is another route but it is too far and can only be accessed by motorcycles,” he said.

– BERNAMA

See also:
853 Orang Asli villagers stranded after bridge collapse