Malaysia plants trees along coastal areas to protect against tsunami

Singapore, Dec 26 (UNI) Malaysians today planted mangrove trees simultaneously in Kedah, Penang and Perak to mark the second anniversary of the tsunami tragedy which hit the states on the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia two years ago.

A Sahabat Alam Malaysia representative, Zulkifli Yusuf, said four locations were chosen for the programmes carried out jointly by non-government organisations (NGOs), the Forestry Department, Peninsular Inshore Fishermen Network and students.

A total of 1,900 mangrove trees were planted at Merbok Mangrove Forest and other coastal sites hit by the 2004 tsunami, he told reporters in the northern Peninsular Malaysia town of Sungai Petani.

The Malaysian national news agency, Bernama, cited Mr Yusuf as saying that the trees were planted along the coast to act as a buffer zone to break the impact of pounding waves such as the tsunami.

UNI XC SHB DS1625