SEVEN STATES HIT BY FLOODS, KELANTAN WORST AFFECTED WITH 8,248 VICTIMS

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- The number of flood victims in seven states rose to 10,922 as of 8 am today, with Kelantan being the worst hit, recording 8,248 people from 3,022 families housed at 33 temporary relief centres (PPS).

Penang, Perlis and Perak also recorded an increase in evacuees, while the numbers in Kedah and Terengganu decreased, and Selangor became the latest state to be affected.

In KELANTAN, the number of victims increased to 8,248 from 3,022 families this morning, compared with 7,830 last night.

According to the Social Welfare Department’s (JKM) Infobencana portal, 33 PPS have been opened in the four affected districts: Kota Bharu, Tumpat, Bachok and Pasir Puteh.

Meanwhile, Infopublic Banjir reported that Serdang in Gunong Barat, Bachok, recorded 33.5 millimetres of rainfall within one hour as of 6 am today.

In PENANG, the number of flood victims rose to 242 people from 57 families, with two more PPS opened, bringing the total to four, according to the Infobencana JKM website as of 7.49 am today.

The two newly opened PPS are SK Permatang Pasir in the Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) district, which currently houses 50 victims, and SK Lahar Yooi in Seberang Perai Utara (SPU), which has yet to receive any evacuees.

The Desa Puri Relief Centre recorded the highest number of victims at 107 people from 48 families, while SK Pengkalan Jaya has 85 victims from 18 families.

In PERLIS, the number of flood victims increased to 811 people from 243 families this morning, compared with 114 people from 35 families last night.

Perlis Civil Defence Force (APM) director Lt Col (PA) Mohd Izaimi Md Daud said all flood victims are placed at six PPS in Padang Besar, Kangar and Arau.

“A total of 653 flood victims from the Padang Besar area are now at the Masjid Nurul Husna PPS in Wang Kelian, SK Felcra Lubuk Sireh, Dewan Semai Bakti Felda Mata Ayer and SK Felda Mata Ayer, while 104 victims from the Arau area are housed at SK Guar Nangka. The PPS in Kangar involves Dewan Wawasan, which has 54 victims,” he said in a statement today.

In PERAK, four districts were hit by floods, with 900 people from 290 families seeking shelter at 16 PPS in Manjung, Perak Tengah, Larut Matang Selama and Batang Padang.

According to the Perak State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) Secretariat, Perak Tengah recorded the highest number of victims, with 433 people from 143 families sheltering at four PPS.

Manjung district also recorded a high number of victims, with 429 people from 133 families housed at six PPS, while figures for victims at four PPS are still being updated.

At the Dewan Serbaguna Kampung Klah Baru PPS in Sungkai, Batang Padang district, three people from one family are sheltered, while 36 people from 10 families are housed at the SK Batu Hampar PPS in the Larut, Matang and Selama district.

The Perak Drainage and Irrigation Department reported that the water level at Sungai Bidor in Changkat Jong has reached the danger mark at 4.05 metres compared with the normal two metres, while Sungai Slim has also reached the danger level at 27.16 metres compared with the normal 23.50 metres.

In SELANGOR, two PPS were opened in the Sabak Bernam district starting yesterday to house 51 victims from 14 families following floods in the Sungai Panjang and Sekinchan mukims.

According to Infobencana JKM, all evacuees are placed at Dewan Sri Bernam and Dewan Sri Sekinchan.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department operations assistant director Ahmad Mukhlis Mokhtar said the department is actively monitoring the current situation involving 16 areas across the state. 

They include Taman Berkat, Bagan Sungai Besar, Kampung Nelayan and Muara Sungai Haji Dorani under the supervision of the Sungai Besar Fire and Rescue Station (BBP).

The other areas monitored are Taman Saujana Aman, Pintu Air Ijok, Jalan Abdul Aziz, Jalan Robinson and Jalan Ehsan (BBP Bestari Jaya); Sri Muda, Kampung Baru Hicom, Jalan Kebun, Padang Jawa, Kampung Kebun Bunga (BBP Shah Alam); and Section 13 and Taman Tun Dr Ismail Jaya (BBP Bukit Jelutong). 

In KEDAH, the number of victims slightly decreased to 388 people from 118 families as of 8 am today, compared with 404 people from 122 families last night.

The Kedah JPBN said in a statement that all victims from the Kulim district are housed at three PPS — Masjid Al-Muhtadin Sungai Seluang, Surau Lembaga Kemajuan Wilayah Kedah (KEDA) Naga Lilit and SK Permatang Tok Dik.

The official Public Infobanjir website reported that Sungai Laka in Kubang Pasu has exceeded the danger level at 23.07 metres, while three other rivers surpassed the warning level: Sungai Sari in Padang Terap (28.19m), Sungai Melaka in Langkawi (3.36m) and Sungai Titi Kerbau in Pendang (3.9m).

In TERENGGANU, the number of flood victims dropped to 282 people from 91 families as of 8 am today, compared with 359 people from 106 families at 8 pm yesterday.

According to the InfoBencana JKM website, all victims are sheltering at a single PPS — Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kuala Besut, which opened yesterday morning — while another PPS, SK Pulau Perhentian, was closed last night after all evacuees were allowed to return home.

-- BERNAMA