Floods: Situation back to normal in Terengganu, other states improving

KUALA LUMPUR: Terengganu has fully recovered from the floods while the flood situation in several states is improving as several relief centres (PPS) were closed and the number of victims housed at PPS dropping this morning, compared yesterday.

In TERENGGANU, the second wave of floods in the state since Nov 24 ended today when the only PPS still open at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Merchang, Marang to house eight evacuees from three families, was closed at 10.30 am.

State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat chief Lt Col (PA) Che Adam A Rahman said all of the flood victims were allowed to return to their homes after the stagnant water condition or "banjir termenung" had receded this morning due to good weather in Terengganu so far.

The second wave of floods had affected Kuala Nerus, Kuala Terengganu, Dungun, Kemaman and Marang.

In MELAKA, the number of flood evacuees has reduced to 12 people from two families as at 8 am today compared to 16 victims from three families at 4 pm yesterday.

Melaka Malaysian Civil Defence Force director Lt Col (PA) Effendy Ali said all the victims from Kampung Tasek, Kampung Tersusun and Kampung Parit Penghulu are housed at PPS Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Parit Gantong in Jasin.

In SARAWAK, the flood situation in Bintulu is improved this morning, with the number of flood evacuees at a relief centre dropping to 71 people.

Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) Secretariat chief Maj Ismail Mahedin said only one PPS at the Bintulu Auditorium was still open to shelter victims from 25 families as at 8 am after another relief centre at the Muhibbah Stadium was closed at noon yesterday.

Following the closure, 30 flood evacuees from eight families were allowed to return their respective houses.

Three residential areas in Bintulu, at Sungai Plan, Sungai Sebatang and Kidurong Avenue, were inundated following heavy rain since last Saturday causing water from the nearby river to overflow its banks.

Meanwhile, the numbers of flood victims housed at PPS in Kelantan and Perak have not changed since yesterday.

In KELANTAN, total flood evacuees housed at PPS SK Tok Deh, Pasir Mas remained at 22 people from five families as at 8 am, according to Pasir Mas Social Welfare Department officer Azizan Aziz

Meanwhile, Rantau Panjang Head of Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) Imran Ismail said that the water level at Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang recorded at 8.5 metres, slightly above the 8m warning level but indicated a downward trend.

He said the water level did not increase because there was no heavy rainfall and there was only water flow from the upstream Sungai Golok, while the water level reading at Sungai Jenob, Tanah Merah was at 19,82 m, which is below the 21.50m warning level.

Several low-lying areas such as Kampung Lachang, Kampung Terusan, and Kampung Bongor in Rantau Panjang were still flooded at press time, said Imran.

In PERAK, the number of flash flood victims at the PPS in two districts namely Kerian and Perak Tengah remained at 37 people as at 8 am since yesterday.

According to the Disaster Info portal of the Social Welfare Department for Kerian district, a total of 27 people from eight families are at PPS at SK Changkat Lobak, Bagan Serai while 10 victims from six families are housed at SK Titi Gantung, Bota in Perak Tengah district.

-- BERNAMA