PENANG, PERAK LATEST TO BE HIT AS FLOOD VICTIM NUMBERS RISE

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- Penang and Perak became the two latest states to be hit by floods, while the number of victims placed at temporary relief centres in Kelantan, Kedah and Perlis continued to rise as of 8 pm today.

However, the flood situation in Terengganu recorded a drop in the number of evacuees tonight after some victims took the opportunity to return home as flood conditions gradually improved.

In PENANG, a total of 128 victims from 30 families in Permatang Berangan, Tasek Gelugor were placed at two centres opened this afternoon, namely Kampung Desa Puri (115 victims from 28 families) and SK Pengkalan Jaya (13 victims, two families).

Tasek Gelugor Fire and Rescue Station chief Mohd Yazi Taib said heavy rain and overflowing water from Sungai Jadak caused flooding in Kampung Desa Puri and Kampung Simpang Tiga Tasek Gelugor.

In PERAK, two centres were opened — one each in Batang Padang and Perak Tengah tonight — and the number of flood victims has yet to be determined.

Batang Padang District Disaster Management Committee chairman Ahmad Redhauddin Ahmad Shokori said as of 8.10 pm, five families were placed at the Kampung Klah Baru Multipurpose Hall in Sungkai.

Meanwhile, Perak Tengah District Officer and chairman of the district’s Disaster Management Committee, Mohd Zaki Abdul Rahman, said one centre at SK Simpang Tiga in Parit was opened at 7.15 pm.

“A report on the number of affected families and victims will follow soon,” he said.

In KELANTAN, the number of flood victims surged to 7,830 from 2,888 families tonight compared with 2,047 victims this afternoon. They are housed in 31 centres across four affected districts — Kota Bharu, Tumpat, Bachok and Pasir Puteh.

According to Public Infobanjir of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, the water level of Sungai Melor at Jambatan Melor, Bachok recorded 7.59 metres, exceeding the alert level of seven metres.

In KEDAH, the number of flood victims rose to 404 from 122 families as of 8 pm, compared with 356 victims from 106 families this afternoon.

The Kedah State Disaster Management Committee said in a statement that all victims from the Kulim district were placed at three centres — Masjid Al-Muhtadin Sungai Seluang, Surau KEDA Naga Lilit and SK Permatang Tok Dik.

Meanwhile, PERLIS recorded 114 victims (35 families) placed at three centres — SK Felda Mata Ayer, SK Lubuk Sireh and Dewan Semai Bakti Felda Mata Air in Padang Besar.

According to the state Social Welfare Department’s (JKM) Info Bencana Banjir, the victims comprised 40 adult men and 35 adult women, 20 boys and 17 girls, and two infants — one boy and one girl.

In TERENGGANU, the number of flood victims decreased from 531 (146 families) this afternoon to 359 (106 families) as at 8 pm in the Besut district, with two centres operating since this morning — SK Kuala Besut and SK Pulau Perhentian.

-- BERNAMA