Number of flood victims in Kedah rises to 267, four new PPS open

ALOR SETAR: The number of flood victims in Kedah increased to 267 people from 87 families, as of 8 am this morning compared to 87 people from 27 families earlier.

Kedah Civil Defence Force (APM) Disaster Management Committee secretariat head, Major (PA) Muhammad Suhaimi Mohd Zain said four new temporary evacuation centres (PPS) were opened in Baling and Kota Setar districts last night.

"Three PPS were opened in Baling at 8 last night, namely at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tanjung Pari which houses 57 people from 20 families, SK Sri Bayu PPS shelters 33 people from 11 families and 19 victims from nine families were placed at SK Siong PPS.

"One PPS has also been opened at 7.30 pm at SK Suka Menanti in Kota Setar, housing 73 people from 21 families," he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, he said the SK Binjai PPS which was opened in the Kubang Pasu district since Wednesday is still sheltering 86 people from 26 families.

"Heavy rain for several hours in the Baling and Kota Setar districts has caused the water level to rise and floods to occur. The weather this morning is cloudy and we hope it won't rain heavily like yesterday afternoon," he said.

Meanwhile, the official Public Inforbanjir website of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage reported that Sungai Anak Bukit in Taman Aman, Kota Setar recorded a water level reading of 2.82 metres which is above the danger level and it is on an upward trend as of 9 this morning.

The water level of the Sungai Kedah at the Highway Bridge, Kota Setar has exceeded the warning level with a reading of 1.89 metres, while the water level reading in several rivers in several districts is at the alert level.

-- BERNAMA