Over 21,000 evacuated by noon as floods worsen

KUALA LUMPUR: As of noon today, things were not looking good at all for the affected people in the seven flood-hit states, with Perak being the latest to succumb to the natural disaster.

Reports trickling in say the floods are worsening in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka.

Altogether, more than 21,000 people had been evacuated from their flooded homes to relief centres by noon.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who last night ordered the rescue of stranded people and supplying them with food as the top priority, went down to the ground today, visiting two relief centres - Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Johan Setia and SK Telok Gong - in Klang, Selangor.

A total of 6,242 people are being housed at 80 relief centres in the districts of Klang, Kuala Langat, Petaling, Sepang, Kuala Selangor and Hulu Langat in Selangor, according to a statement issued by the Office of the Selangor Menteri Besar.

The Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia) has issued a red alert, forecasting heavy rain in eight Selangor districts.

In PAHANG, the Disaster Info application of the Social Welfare Department reported that the number of flood evacuees in the state had risen to 9,851 from 2,758 families and were being housed at 155 relief centres.

The drastic rise in the number of evacuees, from 5,189 this morning, was attributed to the increase in evacuees in Temerloh where 20 relief centres had been opened by noon, up from just two in the morning.

Meanwhile, Bentong District Police chief Supt Zaiham Mohd Kahar confirmed that no deaths or injuries were reported in the landslide yesterday along the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway.

An inspection today found six vehicles, two of them lorries, at the landslide area and these were in the process of being towed away by the expressway concessionaire ANIH Berhad, he said.

"We were informed that the work to clear the landslide debris may take some time because it is still raining today," he said.

In KELANTAN, the number of evacuees had increased to 3,877 from 903 families, all of them being housed at 43 relief centres.

State Civil Defence Force Disaster Management and Operations Division officer Capt Mohd Hanif Omar said 22 of the centres were in the Kuala Krai district, 15 in Gua Musang and two each in Jeli, Tanah Merah and Pasir Mas.

The Kelantan eBanjir official portal reported that five major rivers in the state had swollen to the danger level, namely Sungai Lebir in Tualang, Kuala Krai, at 36.57 metres; Sungai Kelantan at Tangga Krai (27.07 metres); Sungai Kelantan at the Guillemard Bridge (17.09 metres); Sungai Golok at Jenob, Tanah Merah (23.66 metres) and Sungai Golok at Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas (10.04 metres).

In TERENGGANU, the number of evacuees had risen to 326 from 101 families in the Dungun and Kemaman districts.

FLOODS-ROUNDUP (NOON) 4 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR

The Terengganu Disaster Management Committee Secretariat, in a statement, said the Kemaman district had been hit by floods again and that two relief centres had been opened there.

In PERAK, a relief centre was opened at Sekolah Menengah Abdul Rahman Talib, Batu 4 Changkat Jong, Teluk Intan, this morning to house 26 evacuees from eight families.

A spokesman for the Civil Defence Force said the evacuees were moved in stages from their homes after Sungai Bidor burst its banks.

In NEGERI SEMBILAN, the number of evacuees rose to 465 from 110 families while in MELAKA, the number rose to 595 from 121 families.

-- BERNAMA