FLOODS: NUMBER OF EVACUEES DROPS TO 72,620, PERLIS FULLY RECOVERS

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- The number of flood evacuees in affected states has continued to drop, standing at 72,620 as of 4 pm today, down from 94,636 this morning.

In KELANTAN, the number of evacuees in 98 relief centres across six districts has decreased to 44,925 people, involving 14,283 families, as of 4 pm, compared to 57,790 this morning.

According to the Social Welfare Department’s (JKM) Info Bencana portal, Pasir Mas remained the district with the highest number of evacuees at 22,691, followed by Tumpat (20,922), Kota Bharu (413), Pasir Puteh (68), Bachok (776) and Tanah Merah (55). 

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The Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), through the Public InfoBanjir portal, reported that only two main rivers in Kelantan remained above the danger level but were on a downward trend, namely Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang (10.04m) and Sungai Golok in Tumpat (3.86m).

The flood situation in TERENGGANU also improved, with the number of evacuees placed in 77 relief centres across eight districts decreasing to 18,935 people, compared to 25,097 this morning.

The Terengganu State Disaster Management Committee (JPBNT) secretariat said that Dungun still recorded the highest number of evacuees at 6,926 people, followed by Kuala Nerus (6,678), Kuala Terengganu (3,253), Besut (865), Hulu Terengganu (497), Marang (416), Setiu (217), and Kemaman (83).

According to the DID’s Public InfoBanjir portal, river water levels at two monitoring stations, Sungai Nerus in Kampung Jeram and Parit Utama in Padang Kemunting, Kuala Nerus, have exceeded the danger mark.

In PAHANG, the flood situation in Raub, Lipis, and Jerantut has recovered after all relief centres in the districts were closed from 12 pm to 2 pm.

JKM’s InfoBencana application informed that one relief centre in Temerloh, located at Surau Kampung Lompat, was opened this afternoon to accommodate a family of four after their home was flooded.

In KEDAH, the number of evacuees had decreased to 6,871 people from 2,077 families as of 4 pm, compared to 7,206 people from 2,185 families this morning, with all victims from the five districts placed in 33 relief centres.

Kedah Civil Defence Force (APM) deputy director Major (PA) Muhammad Suhaimi Mohd Zain said that Kota Setar still recorded the highest number of evacuees, with 4,312 people, followed by Kubang Pasu (1,659), Pokok Sena (547), Sik (203), and Padang Terap (150).

The number of evacuees in JOHOR was reported to have slightly increased to 1,098 people from 312 families as of 4 pm, compared to 1,056 people this morning.

According to State Disaster Management Committee chairman Tan Sri Dr Azmi Rohani, three more relief centres have been opened at Surau Al-Muhtadeen Kampung Kenangan, Surau Bukit Senggir, and Bangunan Syarikat Paduan Kampung Chodan in Segamat, bringing the total number of centres in the district to 22.

He said that only two rivers were reported to have exceeded the danger level, namely the Sungai Muar station at Kampung Tekam Jetty in Segamat and Sungai Tangkak in Kampung Seri Ma’amor, Tangkak.

In PERAK, the State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) Secretariat, in a statement, said that the number of evacuees had slightly decreased to 615 people from 194 families across nine relief centres, compared to 618 this morning.

According to the secretariat, there were 378 evacuees in Kinta, 15 in Larut, Matang, and Selama, 89 in Hilir Perak, 69 in Kampar, and 64 in Perak Tengah.

The statement also said that the water level of Sungai Kinta in Kampung Permatang Pelanduk had overflowed near the village settlement in Perak Tengah district, but the situation was still under control.

In the meantime, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) predicted that rain would occur in all districts in Perak tonight.

The number of flood evacuees in MELAKA slightly increased to 172 people from 44 families as of 4 pm, compared to 161 from 42 families at 8 am today.

The Melaka JPBN secretariat, in a statement, said that all evacuees were accommodated in two relief centres, namely at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Parit Penghulu, which housed 106 people from 26 families, and SK Seri Mendapat, where 66 people from 18 families were placed.

In PERLIS, State APM director Lt Col (PA) Mohd Izaimi Md Daud said that the flood situation in the state had fully recovered after the last relief centre at SK Arau, Arau, which housed 43 people, was closed at 2.30 pm.

According to the police, the floods have claimed a total of nine lives, with five in Kelantan and four in Terengganu.  

-- BERNAMA