Floods: Number of evacuees in Kedah continues to drop

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of flood evacuees in Kedah has continued to drop as of 8 am today, leaving 681 people from 177 families as compared to 797 people from 212 families yesterday evening.

Kedah Civil Defence Force Disaster Management Committee Secretariat chief Major (PA) Mohd Muaz Mohd Yusof said eight relief centres are still active in Kota Setar and Pendang districts.

"A total of 400 victims from 103 families are still at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Darul Hikmah, SK Convent, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Convent and SMK Simpang Kuala.

"Two other relief centres in Kota Setar district, namely SK Langgar and SK Suka Menanti, which opened on Oct 31 and Nov 1 respectively, are still open although all victims have returned to their homes. This is as a precautionary measure should the floods hit again," he said in a statement today

Meanwhile, Mohd Muaz said in Pendang, 281 evacuees from 74 families are still at the Dewan Rakan Sukan Tanah Merah and Dewan Cenderawasih relief centres.

"Following the high tide phenomenon, Kuala Muda district and several areas in Bandar Baharu district were hit by floods, but no relief centre has been opened so far," he said.

In PERAK, the area around Lorong Kedah, Kampung Changkat Jong in Teluk Intan had been inundated in 0.3 meters of water since last night, following the high tide phenomenon.

A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said a team from the Teluk Intan Fire and Rescue Station was deployed to the area after receiving a distress call at 1 am early today.

"A family of eight was evacuated to the Changkat Jong community hall as the water level at their house was rising," he said in a statement today.

In addition, a Hilir Perak Disaster Management Committee Secretariat spokesman informed that the high tide that hit the banks of Sungai Perak in Teluk Intan at about 4.30am today did not require any evacuation as the water began to recede at 7am.

-- BERNAMA