More evacuated as floods worsen in 4 states

More people have been evacuated due to the worsening floods in Pahang, Johor, Melaka and Sabah although the third wave of floods that hit Terengganu has subsided.

The number of flood victims in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan meanwhile remains unchanged.

In Pahang, the state disaster management committee secretariat reported that the total number of flood victims at 54 relief centres (PPS) was 2,252 compared to 2,188 at 51 PPS this morning.

Eight roads are still closed, including Sungai Lembing in Kuantan, Jalan Kuala Lumpur-Kuantan (Maran), Jalan Kuantan-Segamat (Pekan), Jalan Ulu Dong (Raub) and Jalan Kuala Lipis-Jerantut (Jerantut).

As of 11am, six river monitoring stations – Sungai Pukin in Rompin, Paya Gintong (Jerantut), Chegar Perah Bridge (Lipis), Sungai Serting in Padang Gudang Bridge (Bera), Sungai Luit in Kampung Subuh (Maran) ) and Sungai Pahang in Kuala Krau (Temerloh) – had recorded dangerous water levels.

In Johor, the number of evacuees rose to 4,062 as of noon compared to 3,841 this morning, with Batu Pahat the latest district to be hit by floods.

Johor health and environment committee chairman R Vidyananthan said 42 people affected by the floods in Batu Pahat were being housed at Balai Raya Kampung Haji Kamisan.

“A total of 64 PPS have been opened in seven districts housing 1,064 families.

“Segamat remains the district with the highest number of victims with 3,284 people, followed by Mersing (371), Kota Tinggi (174), Tangkak (123), Kluang (66), Batu Pahat (42) and Johor Bahru (two),” he said in a statement.

A Bernama check found that some flood victims in Mersing and Kluang were being allowed to return home as the floodwaters had started to recede in certain areas.

The number of flood evacuees in Sabah meanwhile rose to 3,398 people from 1,236 families compared to 2,435 people from 874 families this morning.

The state disaster management secretariat said 27 PPS had been opened in six districts since last Friday.

Kota Marudu is the district with the highest number of flood evacuees, with 2,749 people from 1,051 families housed at 13 PPS, followed by Pitas with 234 victims from 94 families at four PPS and Sandakan (192 victims, 41 families at two PPS).

In Paitan, 102 victims from 24 families were being housed at three PPS, followed by Telupid (84 victims from 16 families at three PPS) and 41 victims from 11 families at two PPS in Beluran.

In Melaka, the number of flood victims also recorded an increase, with 2,555 people from 659 families compared to 2,537 evacuees from 656 families at 8am today.

Melaka Civil Defence Department (APM) director Cuthbert John Martin Quadra said the victims were from 14 areas in Alor Gajah, nine in Melaka Tengah and nine in Jasin.

“A total of 1,017 victims from 270 families are at 10 PPS in Alor Gajah while 1,402 victims (357 families) are at nine PPS in Melaka Tengah, and another 136 victims (32 families) are at three PPS in Jasin,” he said.

In Negeri Sembilan, the number of evacuees taking shelter at 22 PPS in the state remained unchanged at 2,040 people from 558 families as of 12.50pm.

In Selangor, there was no change in the number of evacuees either, with 40 people at two PPS in Kuala Langat, namely Dewan Orang Ramai Kampung Kelanang (25 victims) and Balai Raya Majlis Pengurusan Komuniti Kampung (MPKK) Banting (15 victims).

Kuala Langat district police chief Ahmad Ridhwan Mohd Nor @ Saleh, in a statement on the flash flood situation in Kuala Langat, said the rain had stopped and the water had begun to recede.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Irrigation and Drainage Department said that as of 11am, Sungai Langat in Bukit Changgang, Kuala Langat was still at the danger level although showing a downward trend.