Floods receding, but Sabah on alert

Total number of flood evacuees has dropped to 84,575 from 91,025.

KUALA LUMPUR: Floodwaters continued to recede this morning in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Perak, sending back more evacuees to their homes, but Sabah is preparing for floods in Kota Belud district.

There was no change in the situation in Johor.

The number of evacuees in the five states in the peninsula dropped to 84,575 this morning from 91,025 last night.

In KELANTAN, the number of evacuees dropped to 28,087 this morning compared with 30,309 last night. They are being housed at 153 relief centres in seven districts, said a spokesman of the Kelantan Welfare Department.

Tanah Merah district had the most number of evacuees, at 14,184, followed by Tumpat (976), Kuala Krai (5,645), Kota Baru (1,440), Machang (2,555), Pasir Mas (281) and Gua Musang (3,006).

In TERENGGANU, the number of evacuees saw a drastic drop to 4,359 from 7,940 last night.

The Terengganu National Security Council portal reported that 2,917 evacuees were at relief centres in Dungun, 1,436 in Kemaman and six in Kuala Terengganu.

In PAHANG, a spokesman of the Pahang Police flood operations room said the number of evacuees dropped to 44,591 this morning from 45,366 last night. They are being housed at 203 relief centres in eight districts.

The spokesman said Temerloh district had the most number of evacuees, at 20,962, followed by Pekan (10,964), Jerantut (4,549), Bera (3,303), Maran (2,454), Lipis (1,252), Kuantan (1,058) and Rompin (49).

In PERAK, the number of evacuees dropped to 7,400 this morning from 7,410 last night, and they are being housed at 53 relief centres in five districts.

A spokesman of the Perak National Security Council said Hilir Perak district was the latest to be affected by the floods. Thirty-nine people from Teluk Intan had been evacuated, he said.

Perak Tengah district had the most number of evacuees, at 5,221, followed by Kuala Kangsar (1,145), Hulu Perak (765), Kerian (104) and Manjung (126).

In JOHOR, the number of evacuees remained at 138 in the Segamat and Batu Pahat districts.

The Johor disaster operations control centre said the floodwaters were receding slowly.

In SABAH, a relief centre was opened at Dewan Tun Said in Kota Belud in preparation for evacuees from several villages where floodwaters started rising this morning.

Kota Belud assistant district officer Peter Jiton said floodwaters were rising in five villages after Sungai Lebak Moyoh burst its banks.

The district flood operations control centre had been activated, he said, and advised villagers to be prepared for evacuation.

Meanwhile, one of the major roads leading to the north of Sabah, such as Kudat, was passable only to heavy vehicles in Kampung Bobot after floodwaters rose to 0.5m at the stretch.

– BERNAMA