THREE-TONNE WHALE FOUND BEACHED

PEKAN (Malaysia), Oct 14 (Bernama) -- A three-tonne whale was found beached
at the mouth of Sungai Nenasi on the South China Sea near Kampung Kuala Nenasi
here.

A fisherman, Abd. Rahim Sulong, 36, said he noticed the 10-metre-long whale
when water shot out of its blowhole while he was on his way to fish in the sea
at 7am.

"I saw water blow out to a height of two metres and went closer to see that
it could not return to sea as the water level was knee-deep.

"We have never had a live whale getting beached here," Abd Rahim said when
met here.

Pekan is the royal town of east coast Pahang-state, Malaysia. It is
situated 45 km south of the current state capital of Kuantan, near the coast of
South China Sea and on the southern bank of Pahang River.

The incident was reported to the Malaysian Fisheries Development Board and
the Fisheries Department who were trying to help it back to sea.

The whale is believed to have beached during low tide in the uninhabited
area which is about 10km from the Kuala Nenasi fish landing zone.

Faizal Ibrahim, 29, said several failed efforts were made to help it back
to sea.

"About 40 adults tried to push it back but it would not budge at all. All
we could was to pour water over it to keep it cool and alive," he said.