FLOODS CLAIM TWO LIVES, EVACUEE NUMBERS SOAR IN KELANTAN, TERENGGANU

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 (Bernama) -- As of 4 pm today, the flood situation in Kelantan and Terengganu continued to worsen, with a sharp increase in the number of evacuees.

The disaster has also claimed two lives in two states.

Kedah and Perlis are the latest states to be affected by floods, while the situation in Perak and Johor remains unchanged.

In KELANTAN, the number of flood victims rose to 12,526 from 3,110 reported earlier, who are taking shelter at 96 relief centres (PPS) in Pasir Mas, Pasir Puteh, Kuala Krai, Kota Bharu, Tanah Merah, Machang, Tumpat, Bachok and Jeli.

According to the Social Welfare Department’s Info Bencana portal, the Pasir Mas district recorded the highest number of evacuees with 3,232 at 19 PPS; Pasir Puteh (1,738 victims at 14 PPS); Kuala Krai (1,591 victims at 17 PPS); Kota Bharu (1,573 victims at 14 PPS) and Tanah Merah (1,001 victims at 14 PPS).

In Machang, 977 victims are housed at eight PPS, Tumpat (973 victims at two PPS), Bachok (776 victims at four PPS) and Jeli (665 victims at four PPS).

The disaster in Kelantan has claimed one life after a man was electrocuted while attempting to unplug a washing machine at his flooded home in Kampung Banir Belikong, Pasir Puteh.

Pasir Puteh Fire and Rescue operations commander Mohd Rukiman Ab Rahman said the incident occurred at 4.30 am when the victim, Tuan Mohd Zakaria Tuan Ismail, 33, was electrocuted before falling and being swept away by floodwaters into a river behind his house.

Meanwhile, five major rivers in the state have surpassed the danger level, namely Sungai Lanas in Jeli, Sungai Kelantan in Tanah Merah, Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang, Sungai Melor in Bachok, and Sungai Semerak in Pasir Puteh.

In TERENGGANU, the number of flood victims has also surged to 1,851 from 97 this morning, with 42 PPS opened in the districts of Besut, Setiu, Dungun, Hulu Terengganu and Marang.

Besut is the worst-affected district, recording 1,102 evacuees housed at 20 PPS, followed by Setiu (252 evacuees at eight PPS), Dungun (235 evacuees at two PPS), Hulu Terengganu (195 evacuees at 10 PPS) and Marang (67 evacuees at two PPS).

Water levels at 11 river monitoring stations have exceeded the danger mark, including Sungai Besut at Jambatan Keruak and Kampung La in Besut, Sungai Nerus at Kampung Langkap, Sungai Setiu at Kampung Besut and Jambatan Permaisuri and Sungai Chalok at Jambatan Chalok in Setiu.

In KEDAH, 16 victims, including a baby girl, have been evacuated to a PPS at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Changlun in Kubang Pasu while in PERLIS, 50 evacuees are being housed at two PPS in Arau and Padang Besar, with Sungai Jarum at Kampung Masjid, Padang Besar, breaching the danger level.

Meanwhile, in PERAK, the number of flood victims remains at 20, currently sheltered at SK Haji Parit Aman in Kerian. Similarly, in JOHOR, 28 evacuees are still at Balai Raya Batu Badak in Segamat.

In SARAWAK, a senior citizen died after his car was swept into a river by strong currents during a flash flood at KM 4, Jalan Selirik, in Kapit early this morning.

-- BERNAMA