Number of flood evacuees in Melaka rises to 200

The number of flood victims in the state rose to 200 as at 8pm, as compared with 149, at 4pm today.

Malaysian Civil Defence Force (Melaka) director, Lt Col Effendy Ali said the victims were placed at four flood relief centres, namely the Kampung Pulau, Bukit Tambun, Bukit Balai community halls in Alor Gajah and Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tehel in Jasin.

He said the number of evacuees in Alor Gajah, specifically at the Bukit Tambun community remained at 87 victims from eight families; Bukit Balai community hall (40 victims from six families) and Kampung Pulau community hall (15 victims from five families).

"In Jasin, 58 victims from 12 families were evacuated to SK Tehel," he said in a statement here.

Effendy, who is also state disaster management committee secretariat head, said it was believed the floods caused by heavy rain from about midnight caused the waters of Sungai Durian Tunggal, Sungai Melaka and Sungai Tehel to overflow and flood five areas about five to seven hours later.

He said the five affected areas were Kampung Bukit Tambun, Kampung Bukit Balai and Kampung Pulau in Alor Gajah and Kampung Tanjung Laboh and Kampung Parit Lampong in Jasin.

Effendy said so far, good weather was reported and the flood situation, under control.

Meanwhile, Melaka chief minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron said the flood relief machinery had been activated to coordinate and monitor areas affected by floods.

"State finance officer Datuk Roslan Ibrahim has been appointed as the State Disaster Management Committee chairman to oversee the flood situation in the state since state secretary Datuk Seri Naim Abu Bakar is currently on leave," he said.

A flood relief centre has been opened in Durian Tunggal to house flood victims and the number of people affected could be high because many have returned to their respective villages to spend the Hari Raya Aidilfitri at their home towns.

Idris who was met at the State Assembly Speaker Datuk Othman Muhamad's Hari Raya open house today said aid for flood victims would be distributed on Thursday or Friday after all details are finalised.

-- BERNAMA