Gurun and Yan hit by floods after torrential rain

 

The houses inundated by floodwaters gushing down from Gunung Jerai.

PETALING JAYA: Seven areas around Gurun and Yan in Kedah were hit by flash floods after heavy rain led to a water column plunging down from Gunung Jerai this evening.

In a Facebook post, Jerai MP Tuan Sabri Azit said the heavy rain caused rivers on Gunung Jerai to overflow their banks, with raging waters sweeping across several homes nearby.

Among the locations affected include Kampung Sungai Badak Gurun, Singkir, Teroi and other areas around the Yan district.

Gurun and Yan are located on the east and west of Gunung Jerai.“Action has been taken to relocate residents to a safer location. We are concerned that untoward incidents could occur if they continue staying here during the heavy rains,” he said.

The rivers near Gunung Jerai overflowed their banks, causing massive floods in nearby villages.

Meanwhile, around 10 other villages at the foot of Gunung Jerai and several housing areas in Yan also suffered from flash floods.

One of the victims, Mohammad Firdaus Mohamad, said the floods swept through the area at a rapid pace and came without warning.

Despite the heavy downpour on Gunung Jerai, they were not prepared for the floods as the rain was not as heavy at the foot of the mountain.

“Suddenly, at around 3pm, a water column came cascading down the Seri Perigi waterfall. The currents were so strong and flowed heavily, destroying the area,” he told Astro Awani.

Firdaus, 36, said villages at the foot of Gunung Jerai were badly affected, with nearby rivers the worst hit. Yan town, located by the sea, also experienced bad floods.

“The sea-level happened to be high, which meant that the flood waters did not recede quickly.”

The fire and rescue department said it received many reports on the floods and were conducting rescue operations. - FMT