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LUMUT – The sandy beach of Teluk Nipah is eroding at a rate of up to three metres a year due to continuous erosion of the shoreline by waves, a study conducted by Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) revealed.
The head of the project to create a sustainable coastal environment for Teluk Nipah, Teh Hee Min, said erosion control measures on the beach must be done immediately before it harms all parties.
“Our studies found that coastal erosion has been happening in Teluk Nipah since 1990, but it was not significant at that time. Now it is an urgent problem and a long-term preventive measure needs to be taken.
“The long-term preventive measure will ensure that the serious problem of erosion at the beach can be overcome, as it should be a priority for the government to ensure that settlement areas, tourism, aquaculture, agriculture, and coastal forest areas continue to be preserved,” he said when met here today.
Also present was UTP Research Management Centre director Noor Amila Wan Abdullah Zawawi, Manjung District Irrigation and Drainage Department engineer Mohd Shamimi Mohd Tahir, and Hello Pangkor director Tan Wee Hoe.
Shamimi said there are four areas where the coastline is in a state of erosion and where coastal facilities or infrastructure are in danger of collapse or direct damage, namely Teluk Nipah, Teluk Dalam, Teluk Gedung, and Tg Kelawai, which houses about 300 fishermen’s houses in the vicinity.
“Among the proactive steps to safeguard the coastal areas from erosion is to build a 50m rock revetment.
“There is also an effort to create a bazaar or safer place for roadside hawkers to continue running their businesses,” he said.
Meanwhile, beach recreation worker Mohd Nor Azahari Ahmad Baddri, 40, said he believed the coastal erosion in Teluk Giam had started long before 2019.
“In 2019, it was already eroding and the waves have been pulling the sand away from the shore little by little, but it was not as noticeable as it is now.
“This is already the third time the project to place stones along the coastline is being implemented, but the erosion is still happening,” he said.
Nor Azahari also called on the authorities to solve this issue as soon as possible.
“We have no problem moving if we were to be relocated to a suitable and nearby place. If possible, we want a location close to the beach to make it easier for us to continue our business,” he added. – Bernama, January 4, 2023
