More victims evacuated as floods worsen

Kelantan and Perak have become the latest states to be hit by floods while the number of evacuees in Johor, Pahang and Terengganu continued to increase this morning.

Gua Musang is the latest flood-affected district in Kelantan with 296 people from 73 families evacuated to two temporary relief centres (PPS).

According to the Social Welfare Department’s Info Bencana application, a total of 279 people from 68 families were housed at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tengku Indra Petra 1 while 17 people from five families were placed at Balai Raya Kampung Batu Papan.

As of 8am, Sungai Galas in Limau Kasturi, Gua Musang had recorded a reading of 59.27m which exceeds the danger level, while the river level in Jenob, Tanah Merah breached the alert point.

Two other rivers – Sungai Lebir in Tualang and Sungai Kelantan in Kuala Krai – also recorded water above alert levels.

In Perak, a total of 615 people from 161 families had been evacuated to 10 PPS in three districts as of 8am.

A Perak Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said Muallim became the worst-hit district when 477 victims were evacuated to seven PPS.

In Kampar, 27 people were evacuated from their flooded homes at Kampung Batu 20, and moved to Dewan Dato Azman Mahalan.

“In Hilir Perak, 85 residents of Kampung SC Ayer Hitam, Kampung Tengah Ayer Hitam, Kampung Sungai Rambai Chikus and Batu 9 Simpang 3, Jalan Changkat Jong were placed at Dewan Majlis Perbandaran Teluk Intan,” the spokesman said.

In Johor, the number of evacuees in eight flood-affected districts in the state increased to 7,112 people from 1,854 families as of 8am, compared to 6,391 people last night.

Johor state health and environment committee chairman R Vidyananthan said so far, 68 PPS have been opened in Kota Tinggi (20), Kluang (19), Johor Bahru (10), Mersing (six), Kulai (five), Segamat (three), Pontian (three) and Batu Pahat (two).

Kluang recorded the highest number of flood victims at 2,527 people, followed by Kota Tinggi (2,029), Johor Bahru (1,279), Kulai (581), Mersing (513), Pontian (347), Batu Pahat and Segamat at 65 each.

He said three stretches of road in Kota Tinggi are still closed to all vehicles, namely Jalan Sungai Sayong at Jambatan Sungai Sayong, Jalan Tun Sri Lanang in Bandar Kota Tinggi and Jambatan Jalan Semangar, while Jalan Mawai Lama is only accessible by heavy vehicles.

In Johor Bahru, Jalan Haji Suhud Taman Muhibbah is still closed due to a collapsed bridge, while in Mersing, Jalan Jemaluang-Batu Pahat and Jalan Kota Tinggi-Mersing are passable only to heavy vehicles, he said.

“Jalan Batu Pahat-Mersing in Ladang Pak Loh as well as Jalan Batu Pahat-Kluang at Sekolah Menengah Kahang are closed to light vehicles. Jalan Batu Pahat-Mersing at Pertubuhan Peladang Negeri Johor and Hock Huat are still closed to all vehicles,” Vidyananthan said.

In Pahang, the number of flood victims rose to 7,603 people from 2,708 families compared to 3,979 people last night.

According to the Social Welfare Department’s portal, as of 7.30am, 164 PPS had been opened in nine districts in the state.

Kuantan still recorded the highest number of victims with 2,174 people, followed by Raub (1,401), Maran (943), Jerantut (878), Rompin (704), Lipis (684), Temerloh (509), Bentong (219) and Pekan (91).

The portal also reported that Sungai Semantan and Sungai Pahang in the Lipis, Kuantan, Raub, Jerantut districts had exceeded the danger level.

Meanwhile, Anih Bhd in a statement today said KM84.6-84.7 (Lanchang) of the East Coast Highway Phase 1 (LPT1) in both directions were closed to all vehicles at 11.30pm yesterday as the stretch was flooded by waters as deep as one metre.

Travellers are advised to use the Lanchang-Felda Lakum-Bukit Damar-Mempaga-Chinta Manis-Kuala Lumpur Karak Highway (KLK) instead.

The left and emergency lanes of KM113 eastbound are also closed due to the floods.

In Terengganu, the number of flood victims surged to 804 people from 205 families as of 8am compared to 138 people yesterday, according to state disaster management committee Secretariat chief Lt Col (PA) Che Adam A Rahman.

He said in Kemaman, the number of evacuees increased to 609 people from 145 families with five more PPS opened, bringing the total number of PPS operating in the district to six.

“In Dungun, the number of victims rose to 195 people from 60 families compared to 92 people from 29 families previously. They are now taking shelter at three PPS,” Che Adam told reporters.

The Irrigation and Drainage Department reported that water levels in three rivers, namely Sungai Tebak at Jambatan Tebak and Sungai Tumpat in Kampung Baru Kemasik, Kemaman and Sungai Dungun in Kuala Jengai, Dungun had surpassed the danger level as of 8am.

In Selangor, 116 flood victims from 36 families were housed at two PPS in Hulu Bernam as of 8am.

State disaster management unit operations officer Muhammad Izzat Haziq Mohd Nazir said the flood victims have been placed at Balai Raya Kampung Baru A and Dewan Orang Ramai Kampung Sekolah Sungai Selisek.