FLOODS: SITUATION IMPROVES FURTHER, NUMBER OF EVACUEES DROPS TO BELOW 3,000

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- The flood situation in Perak, Kedah and Penang continues to show positive developments with the number of evacuees at temporary evacuation centres (PPS) reduced to 2,937 as of 8 pm tonight, compared with 3,523 people this afternoon.

In PERAK, the number of flood victims decreased to 1,158 people from 375 families compared with 1,339 victims this afternoon, and they are housed at 12 PPS still in operation in the four districts.

According to the State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) Secretariat, 15 of the 19 PPS in Larut, Matang and Selama (LMS) district were closed today, and the remaining four PPS still operating are Masjid Ali Rouse Ulu Sepetang, Dewan Orang Ramai Changkat Larah, Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Matang and Surau Al-Hidayah Pondok Quint Batu 13, which house 373 victims from 116 families.

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In Manjung district, five PPS namely SK Sungai Batu, SK Beruas, SK Pantai Remis, SK Tangga and Sekolah Agama Rakyat Padang Serai are sheltering 522 victims from 175 families, while 153 victims are sheltered at two PPS in Kerian. In Perak Tengah, the number of victims remains at 110.

In KEDAH, the number of flood victims also dropped to 1,169 people from 329 families tonight compared with 1,335 people from 381 families this afternoon.

JPBN said all victims in five districts, namely Kulim, Pendang, Pokok Sena, Kubang Pasu and Padang Terap, are still housed at eight PPS, with Kulim district continuing to record the highest number of victims at 719 people from 201 families, followed by Pendang with 279 people from 74 families.

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“Pokok Sena recorded 135 victims from 39 families at one PPS, while in Kubang Pasu, 36 victims from 15 families are housed at two PPS,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Public Infobanjir website reported that three rivers in Kedah exceeded the danger level, namely Sungai Pendang in Pendang (3.55 metres), Sungai Titi Kerbau in Pendang (6.64m) and Sungai Padang Terap in Kubang Pasu (4.19m).

In PENANG, the number of flood victims continued to decrease, to 646 victims from 179 families sheltered at five PPS, compared with 849 people from 233 families this afternoon.

According to the Social Welfare Department’s Info Bencana portal as of 7.44 pm, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Permatang Pasir in Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT), which previously housed 41 people from 10 families, was closed tonight.

SPT district recorded 193 people from 58 families sheltered at SK Guar Perahu, while in Seberang Perai Utara, 453 victims from 121 families remain housed at SK Lahar Yooi, SK Padang Menora, Sekolah Agama Rakyat Nyior Sebatang and Labuh Banting.  

-- BERNAMA