793 flood victims evacuated in Terengganu

KUALA TERENGGANU: A total of 793 people from 232 families were evacuated to 19 relief centres or higher ground as torrential rain and thunderstorms whacked the east coast of the peninsula since Sunday. 

Up till midnight state secretary Datuk Osman Muda, who is Terengganu flood disaster chairman, said 131 of the victims were from Dungun; 70 of whom have been evacuated to the Dewan Sivik Pasir Raja, 11 to Surau Besol Lama and 50 SK Shukur’s balairaya. 

He said another 243 victims from Hulu Terengganu were evacuated to Balairaya Kampung Kemat (51), Dewan Seri Puteh, Kampung Tok Lawit (67), Balairaya Kampung Tok Gebok (5), Balairaya Kampung Bukit Kolam (12), Dewan Budiman Kampung Kepah (14), Dewan Sivik Kampung Bukit Gemuruh (3), Surau Lama Kampung Tok Gebok (9) and SMK Matang (82). 

In Kemaman, Osman said 411 victims were evacuated to Balai JKKK Padang Kubu (265), Masjid Lama Padang Kampung Kubu (72), SK Teluk Kalong (16), Balairaya Bukit Kuang (11), Pejabat Ladang Jernih TDM Sungai Mas (29) and Masjid Kampung Dadong (3). 

Over at Marang, eight of the victims from Kampung Tembak Baru have been evacuated to a relief centre at the Wakaf Tapai civic centre, he said. 

“Seven roads in Hulu Terenganu and two in Kemaman were impassable to motor vehicles, owing to bridges and stretches being inundated by rising flood water. 

“The affected bridges include Kampung Teladas in Air Puteh and Bukit Kuang in Kemaman,” he said at the state flood operations centre at Wisma Darul Iman. 

Present was Terengganu Civil Defence Department director Che Adam Abdul Rahman, which is the lead agency for flood relief operations. 

Osman advised residents living in low-lying areas to be prepared to be evacuated if flood waters rise to dangerous levels. 

“But do not be alarmed and just follow the advice of authorities to be safely evacuated. There are a large number of enforcement agencies and volunteers on standby to assist. 

“The meteorological department has issued warnings of intermittent heavy rain and thunderstorms in Hulu Terengganu, Dungun and Kemaman for three days from Sunday through Tuesday. 

“Thus, rain water from the forests is expected to flow in large quantities into the various rivers that form the arteries towards the South China Sea,” said Osman. -NST