SABAH HIT BY FLOODS AGAIN, NUMBER OF VICTIMS IN KEDAH RISES

KUALA LUMPUR,Oct 27 (Bernama) -- Floods have returned to Sabah, while the number of evacuees in Kedah has risen this morning, in contrast to Perak and Penang, where the situation is gradually improving.

In SABAH, 44 people from 16 families have been evacuated due to flooding in Sipitang. The Sabah State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN), in a statement today, said all evacuees have been relocated to the temporary relief centre at Mesapol mini hall.

“Five villages were affected by floods that struck late yesterday evening, and residents were evacuated beginning around midnight,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, in KEDAH, the number of flood victims has risen again, with Kota Setar becoming the latest district affected by the disaster.

Kedah JPBN reported that the number of flood victims in the state rose to 1,281 people from 372 families this morning, compared to 1,169 people from 329 families last night.

“All victims from the six affected districts, namely Kota Setar, Kulim, Pendang, Pokok Sena, Kubang Pasu, and Padang Terap, have been evacuated to 10 temporary relief centres.

“In Kota Setar, 225 people from 65 families have been housed at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Taman Aman, which opened at 9.30 pm last night. Kulim remains the worst-affected district with 554 people from 163 families placed at four relief centres, followed by Pendang with 330 people from 90 families at two centres,” read the statement.

Pokok Sena recorded 136 evacuees from 39 families housed at one relief centre, while a relief centre in Kubang Pasu is sheltering 23 people from 11 families. In Padang Terap, 13 evacuees from four families remain at one relief centre.

Meanwhile, the Public Infobanjir portal reported that three rivers in Kedah have risen above the danger level - Sungai Pendang in Pendang (3.55 metres), Sungai Titi Kerbau in Pendang (6.31 metres), and Sungai Padang Terap in Kubang Pasu (4.12 metres).

In PENANG, the flood situation continues to improve, with the number of evacuees decreasing to 411 individuals from 108 families this morning, compared to 646 individuals from 179 families yesterday.

According to the latest update on the Social Welfare Department’s disaster information portal as of 7.20 am, a total of 392 flood victims is taking shelter at four temporary relief centres in the Seberang Perai Utara district. These include SK Lahar Yooi, which currently houses 154 victims from 41 families, and the Labuh Banting flood relief centre, accommodating 114 victims from 31 families.

SK Padang Menora currently accommodates 78 victims from 21 families, while 46 victims from nine families are housed at Sekolah Agama Rakyat Nyior Sebatang. Meanwhile, SK Guar Perahu remains the sole operational temporary relief centre in the Seberang Perai Tengah district, sheltering 19 victims from four families.

In PERAK, the number of flood victims continued to decline this morning, with 1,129 individuals from 362 families sheltering at 12 temporary relief centres across four districts, compared with 1,158 individuals from 375 families recorded the previous night.

In a statement, the Perak JPBN said 361 individuals from 113 families in the Larut, Matang and Selama districts remain housed at Masjid Ali Rouse Ulu Sepetang, SK Matang, and Surau Al-Hidayah Pondok Quint Batu 13.

In Manjung, five temporary relief centres remain operational, SK Sungai Batu, Sekolah Agama Rakyat Padang Serai, SK Beruas, SK Pantai Remis, and SK Gangga, accommodating 510 evacuees from 172 families.

In Perak Tengah, the number of evacuees remains unchanged, with 110 individuals from 31 families housed at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Layang-Layang Kiri in Parit. Meanwhile, in Kerian, 148 evacuees from 46 families continue to take shelter at two relief centres, Gunung Semanggol multipurpose hall and SK Parit Haji Aman.

-- BERNAMA