FLOOD SITUATION IN SIX STATES IMPROVING

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- The situation in the six flood-hit states - Kelantan, Johor, Terengganu, Perak, Melaka and Kedah - is improving while that in Pahang worsened a little, with the total number of evacuees overall dropping to 57,980 people this afternoon, compared to 65,899 this morning.

The number of fatalities remained at seven.

In KELANTAN, a total of 39,757 people are still housed in 93 temporary relief centres in four districts this afternoon, compared to 43,667 this morning.

Based on the Social Welfare Department's Info Bencana Portal, Pasir Mas remains the worst-hit district with 18,866 victims, followed by Tumpat (20,439), Kota Bharu (403) and Bachok (49).

The Department of Irrigation and Drainage's infobanjir.water.gov.my portal reported that only two major rivers in the state remained above the danger level, namely Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang at 9.52 metres (m) and Sungai Golok in Tumpat (3.65m).

In JOHOR, the number of flood victims also dropped to 1,029 people as of 4 pm, compared to 1,062 this morning.

State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) chairman Tan Sri Dr Azmi Rohani said two centres have been closed and only 18 others are operating in the two flood-hit districts, namely in Segamat (858 victims in 16 centres) and Tangkak (171 victims in two centres).

The flood situation is also improving in TERENGGANU, with 10,870 evacuees still placed in 41 centres in the six affected districts as of 4 pm, compared to 14,294 people this morning.

The JPBN Secretariat said Kuala Nerus has the highest number of victims, with 6,236 people placed in 15 centres, followed by Dungun (2,592 victims in 16 centres); Kuala Terengganu (1,846 victims in five centres); Setiu (101 victims in three centres); Marang (62 victims in one centre); and Hulu Terengganu (33 victims in one centre) while all the centres in Kemaman have been closed as of this afternoon.

In PERAK, the JPBN Secretariat said in a statement that the number of evacuees still housed at the six centres dropped to 282 compared to 383 this morning.

It added that Kinta has the highest number recorded with 139 victims, followed by Perak Tengah (70) and Hilir Perak (73), while the centres in Larut, Matang and Selama as well as Kampar have all been closed as of this afternoon.

There was a similar drop in the number of evacuees in three districts in KEDAH, with 5,815 victims placed in 27 centres compared to 6,268 this morning.

Kedah Civil Defence Force (APM) Deputy Director Mejar (PA) Muhammad Suhaimi Mohd Zain said Kota Setar had the highest number of evacuees (4,062); followed by Kubang Pasu (1,323) and Pokok Sena (430).

"Meanwhile, one centre opened in the Padang Terap district on Thursday (Nov 28) has been closed at 3.30 pm today,” he said in a statement.

There is no change in MELAKA as 172 evacuees are still housed at the two centres in Jasin, with 106 sheltering at SK Parit Penghulu and 66 at SK Seri Mendapat.

The JPBN Secretariat said in a statement that eight areas in the district are still inundated.

In PAHANG, a check with the JKM's InfoBencana application found that the number of flood victims rose slightly to 55 people compared to 53 this morning, with the two affected districts being Temerloh and Bera.

-- BERNAMA