FLOODS WORSEN IN FIVE STATES, MORE EVACUEES AT SUNSET

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- The number of flood victims in the five flood-hit states as of 4 pm today continues to show an increasing trend with Kelantan recording 9,634 people from 3,515 families placed in 38 temporary relief centres (PPS).

Penang, Perak, Selangor and Kedah also recorded an increase in the number of flood victims, while Terengganu saw a decrease.

In KELANTAN, the number of evacuees has risen to 9,634 from 3,515 families this evening compared to 8,248 this morning.

According to the Social Welfare Department's (JKM) Disaster Information site, 38 PPS have been opened in the four affected districts of Kota Bharu, Tumpat, Bachok and Pasir Puteh.

Meanwhile, the Irrigation and Drainage Department stated today that the water level of the two main rivers in Kelantan has exceeded the alert level.

In Sungai Melor, Bachok, the water level was recorded at 7.68 metres, exceeding the seven-metre alert level by 0.68 metres (m) at 3 pm while in Sungai Golok, Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas, the water level also rose to 7.49 m, exceeding the alert limit by 0.49 m.

In PENANG, flood victims continued to increase this evening with 404 people (104 families) evacuated to four PPS, compared to 237 people this morning.

According to JKM's lnfobencana as of 2.16 pm, SK Lahar Yooi in the Permatang Berangan subdistrict of Seberang Perai Utara District (SPU) accommodated the most victims with 161 people (47 families), followed by Pusat Peminderan Desa Puri with 108 victims (28 families).

"Some 85 evacuees (18 families) were housed at PPS SK Pengkalan Jaya while the only PPS in the Seberang Perai Tengah District, SK Permatang Pasir, is sheltering 50 victims (11 families)," according to the website.

In PERAK, the number of flood victims continued to rise to 1,415 (440 families) this evening compared to 900 people (290 families) sheltering at 20 PPS in the districts of Manjung, Perak Tengah, Larut, Matang and Selama as well as Hilir Perak.

The Perak State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) secretariat said Kampung Klah Baru hall at Sungkai in the Batang Padang district, which housed three people from a family since last night, has been shuttered at 8 am today.

It said Hilir Perak was the latest district to be hit by flooding, with 70 people (18 families) from Kampung Batu 8, Kampung Glouster, Kampung Selabak and Kampung Batu 9 taking shelter at the Teluk Intan municipal council hall.

Manjung District is among the worst-hit with 837 people (251 families) being housed in 10 PPS while three more PPS are still in the process of updating flood victim information.

Perak Tengah District, meanwhile, housed 470 people (160 families) in four PPS while two more PPS are currently being updated with flood victim data, while the Batu Hampar School PPS in the Larut, Matang and Selama districts is occupied by 38 people (11 families) from Kampung Berjaya.

In SELANGOR, evacuees at eight PPS have risen to 327 people (109 families) as of 3.30 pm today, involving five districts due to continuous rain since yesterday evening, compared to 110 victims this morning.

Based on information from JKM Disaster Information, the PPS opened are Dewan Sri Sekinchan and Dewan Sri Bernam (Sabak Bernam); Kampung Jaya Setia Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) Service Centre, Bestari Jaya; SK Sungai Serai, Hulu Langat and Masjid Al Falah Kampung Budiman (Shah Alam).

The three latest PPS are at SK Bukit Kerayong, Kuala Selangor, Dewan Bakawali, Section 35 and SK Binjai in Klang.

In KEDAH, Kubang Pasu is the new district affected after Kulim where the Kedah JPBN said in a statement that five PPS have been opened in the district, however, the number of victims is still in the census process.

“The five PPS opened this morning are SMK Changlun, Masjid Al-Ihsan Changkat Setol, SK Felda Batu 8, Dewan Kampung Tradisi and SK Binjal.

“The total number of victims in the Kulim district is 371 people (110 families) placed at three PPS, namely the Al-Muhtadin Mosque Sungai Seluang, Surau Lembaga Kemajuan Wilayah Kedah (KEDA) Naga Lilit and SK Permatang Tok Dik,” according to the statement.

The official website of Public Infobanjir stated that three rivers in Kedah have exceeded the danger level: Sungai Laka in Kubang Pasu 23.47m; Sungai Sintok in Kubang Pasu (45.24m) and Sungai Titi Kerbau in Pendang (4.08m).

In TERENGGANU, evacuees have decreased to 205 people (77 families) as of 3 pm compared to 282 people from 91 families at 8 am.

According to the JKM's InfoBencana website, all victims are taking shelter at the Kuala Besut PPS, Besut which opened yesterday morning, while the SK Pulau Perhentian PPS was closed last night after all victims were allowed to return home.

--BERNAMA