60,000 evacuated as floods worsen

Kelantan the worst hit with 24,765 evacuees.

KUALA LUMPUR: The second wave of floods ravaging the country has worsened, sending 58,705 people in six states to evacuation centres as of this morning.

A headcount showed that Kelantan had the most number of evacuees, at 24,765, followed by Terengganu (21,606); Pahang (10,825); Perak (1,030); Sabah (336) and Perlis (143).

In Kelantan, the number of evacuees rose by 3,164 overnight from 21,601, forcing the opening of 18 more relief centres to take the total to 114 today.

The floods in the state have affected nine of the 10 districts, namely Gua Musang, Jeli, Kuala Krai, Machang, Pasir Mas, Pasir Puteh, Tanah Merah, Tumpat and Kota Baru.

Pasir Mas has the most number of evacuees, at 8,754, followed by Gua Musang(5,259) and Kuala Krai (4,608).

Twenty-three roads in eight districts remain closed to traffic. Seventeen of these roads are closed to all vehicles and six, to light vehicles.

The floods in Kelantan have claimed four lives since December 16.

In Terengganu, 8,977 more people were evacuated overnight, raising to 21,606 the number of victims in the state. Kemaman is the worst-affected district, with 12,699 evacuees.

The high-tide phenomenon has been blamed for the large number of evacuations, particularly along the coastal areas, according to the portal of the Terengganu National Security Council.

As of 9am today, the Dungun district had 4,591 evacuees; Hulu Terengganu, 685; Kuala Terengganu, 3,086; Besut, 426; Marang, 11 and Setiu, eight. They are being housed at 107 relief centres.

In Pahang 4,539 people in eight districts were moved to relief centres this morning, taking the total number of evacuees in the state to 10,825.

A spokesman of the Pahang police flood operations room said Kuantan was the district with the most number of evacuees, at 6,231, being housed at 31 relief centres.

Maran was next with 2,542 evacuees, accommodated at 15 centres; followed by Lipis, with 722 evacuees at 11 centres; Pekan, with 553 evacuees at seven centres; Jerantut, with 487 evacuees at seven centres and Rompin, with 268 evacuees at two centres.

In Perak, the districts of Hulu Perak and Kuala Kangsar are among the worst affected in the state. Up to 1,030 people in the two districts have been moved to relief centres.

A spokesman of the Perak National Security Council said the number of evacuees in Kuala Kangsar had risen to 823 from 142 overnight.

Nevertheless, the relief centre at the Kampung Tasek community hall has been closed and all the 23 evacuees were allowed to return to their homes in Kampung Tasek Hulu Seberang where the floodwaters have receded.

Gerik Fire and Rescue Service operations chief Azizul Aswad Asaris said the East-West Highway between Gerik and Jeli has been closed to all vehicles following a landslide last night at Km63 near the Titiwangsa rest area.

In Sabah, the number of evacuees in Beaufort has risen to 336 from 268 overnight. However, floodwaters in Tenom have receded.

A spokesman of the Beaufort District operations room said the evacuees in Beaufort were being housed at a community hall.

In Perlis, the number of evacuees from Beseri, Padang Melangit and Tasoh rose to 143 from 104 last night.

The telemetry system of the Perlis Department of Drainage and Irrigation indicated that the level of water at the Timah Tasoh Dam was 29.78 metres, slightly higher than the danger point of 29.60 metres.

– BERNAMA