Flood situation worsens as at afternoon, more than 34,000 victims evacuated

KUALA LUMPUR: The situation in several flood-hit states has worsened with more than 34,000 victims evacuated to relief centres (PPS) this afternoon compared to some 21,000 at noon today.

The northeast monsoon-related floods have claimed one life while two people are feared drowned after being washed away by swift-flowing waters. All the incidents happened in Pahang.

The National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), in a statement today, said eight states were affected by floods - Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Perak and Kuala Lumpur.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, at a press conference after visiting flood victims housed at two schools in Klang, SELANGOR, said the number of evacuees in the state had increased from about 6,000 yesterday to more than 15,000 at 108 PPS in eight districts.

Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, in a post on his official Twitter account, said he was aware of the critical situation in Taman Sri Muda Seksyen 25 in Shah Alam.

"All suitable assets like boats have been mobilised to help in the evacuation process of flood victims. I was given to understand that the number of army personnel has also been increased to help in this effort.

"Additional boats from the Kuala Selangor Drainage and Irrigation Department (JPS) are being deployed to help in operations to rescue flood victims in Sri Muda, Seksyen 25 here," he added.

In KUALA LUMPUR, the weather was relatively better today in the Klang Valley with rain having stopped, causing waters to recede in most of the affected areas. However, 530 people were still housed at PPS.

In PAHANG, the Social Welfare Department (JKM) Disaster Info application said flood victims in the state continued to increase this afternoon to 14,143 people from 3,922 families at 186 PPS.

The East Coast Highway operator, in a post on Facebook, said the stretch at KM76-KM126 Karak-Temerloh was still closed on both sides as at 4 pm although waters were subsiding.

The victims who were stranded on the highway were given the necessary aid like food and drinks, it said.

The number of flood victims in KELANTAN continued to rise as at 6 pm, when 4,324 people from 1,065 families were moved to PPS compared to 3,877 people from 903 families at noon, involving the districts of Kuala Krai, Gua Musang, Pasir Mas, Jeli and Tanah Merah.

The official eBanjir Kelantan portal reported that five major rivers in Kelantan were at the danger level, namely Sungai Lebir in Tualang, Kuala Krai which recorded 36.61 metres (m); Sungai Kelantan at Tangga Krai (27.21 m); Sungai Kelantan at Jambatan Guillemard (17.17 m); Sungai Galas at Dabong, Kuala Krai (39.20 m); and Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas (10.31 m).

In MELAKA, two districts were affected by floods, namely Alor Gajah and Melaka Tengah, with 729 evacuees while in PERAK the number of flood victims rose to 69 people from 26 people, in Teluk Intan district.

The Meteorological Department has forecast continuous heavy rain in several areas in Perak involving Manjung, Kinta, Perak Tengah, Kampar, Bagan Datuk, Hilir Perak, Batang Padang and Muallim.

However, in TERENGGANU, the number of flood victims dropped slightly to 286 people from 66 families as at 6 pm, compared to 326 people from 101 families at noon, involving Kemaman and Dungun districts.

-- BERNAMA