Number of flood victims rise to 119,000, Kota Baharu critical

The number of flood victims in seven states has now reached 119,087 people with Kelantan having the highest number of victims with 45,467 people as at this afternoon.

In KELANTAN, the overflowing water from Sungai Kelantan had caused the number of flood victims in Kota Baharu to rise steeply to 14,586 from only 1,198 people this morning.

State Social Welfare Department director Nik Omar Nik Abdul Rahman said the overflowing river water had also inundated several villages including Kampung Lembah Sireh, Kampung Pintu Geng, Kampung Kedai Buloh, Kampung Banggol, and areas around Pengkalan Chepa.

All victim had been evacuated to 40 newly-opened relief centres, as we only had seven centres this morning, he said.

The victims in Pasir Mas numbered 6,319 people, followed by Tanah Merah (3,546), Gua Musang (5,150), Tumpat (5,005), Machang (4,039), Jeli (1,430), Kuala Krai (5,200) and Pasir Puteh (192).

In TERENGGANU, the number of people evacuated due to floods continued to rise to 34,884 this afternoon compared to 31,001 earlier today.

According to the state's National Security Council's portal, Kemaman currently registered 25,090 victims at 46 relief centres.

The number of flood evacuees in Dungun had also increased to 8,197 people, followed by Kuala Terengganu (1,369) and Hulu Terengganu (228).

The portal said Kuala Terengganu, however, was still reachable from Kuantan through several alternative routes, even though the main road was submerged by flood waters and passable only by heavy vehicles.

"For road users heading to Kuantan from Kuala Terengganu using the coastal road, it is advised that they take Jalan Che Lijah juncture in Dungun and use the Second East Coast Expressway (LPT2) from Dungun toll.

"From the LPT2, they can take an exit at Paka as areas around Air Hitam to Kampung Nyior in Dungun are currently inundated by flood waters," the portal said, adding that the LPT route between Bukit Besi and Ajil had been reopened to all vehicles.

In PAHANG, the number of flood evacuees dropped to 32,380 this afternoon from 35,736 recorded this morning.

Spokesman at the Pahang police contingent flood operations room said Kuantan still had the most number of flood evacuees with 16,691 people, followed by Jerantut (4,728), Pekan (2,281), Temerloh (2,823), Maran (2,818), Lipis (2,697), Bera (310) and Rompin (32).

In JOHOR, flood evacuees taking shelter at 10 relief centres numbered 537 people from 130 families this afternoon from only 214 people this morning.

Johor Natural Disaster Committee chairman Datuk Ismail Karim said as at 5pm, the areas hit by floods in Johor were Kluang, Batu Pahat, Kulaijaya, Segamat and Muar.

He said six relief centres had also been opened in Kluang, and one each in Batu Pahat, Kulaijaya, Segamat and Muar.

In KEDAH, the number of flood victims dropped as the flood situation in Padang Terap and Bandar Baharu improved, leaving only 28 victims at the relief centre this afternoon compared to 96 this morning.

In PERLIS, the number of flood evacuees had also dropped to only 209 as 54 of them were allowed to return to their respective homes at 5pm.

In PERAK, the number of flood victims remained at 6,119 with Kuala Kangsar having the most number with 2,579 victims.

They are currently taking shelter at 50 relief centres, according to state's National Security Council's spokesman.