Floods worsen in Pahang, Sabah

A resident wades through the water in Rompin where floods have seen many evacuated to temporary relief centres. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Flood conditions in Pahang and Sabah have worsened with an increase in number of evacuees, although the situation has improved in Johor where many evacuees have been able to return home.

In Pahang, Raub became the third district affected by floods after Rompin and Temerloh, with a total of 1,206 evacuees from 339 families housed at 11 relief centres as of 10.30pm last night.

According to the Social Welfare Department disaster info portal, the situation in Raub is not serious although 56 people from 15 families were ordered to evacuate to the Kampung Kuala Gali Hall and Kampung Ajai new mosque as a precautionary measure.

In Rompin, the number of victims increased to 1,127 from 320 families compared to 1,044 from 269 families yesterday afternoon. They were placed at temporary relief centres at SK Pianggu (283 evacuees from 82 families); Bukit Serok Orang Asli Economic Activity Center (214 evacuees, 80 families), SK Sarang Tiong (214 evacuees, 45 families) and Kampung Setajam (187 evacuees, 51 families).

The temporary relief centre at the Rekoh community hall took in 119 evacuees from 32 families; the Kampung Denai community hall, 49 people from 13 families; the Bukit Lepas community hall, 33 people from eight families; and the Teluk Gading community hall in Tanjung Gemok, 28 people from nine families.

The flood situation in Temerloh remained unchanged with 23 evacuees still housed at the Kampung Paya Luas community hall.

In Sabah, continuous heavy rain caused a sharp rise in floods in Kudat which saw an increase of 855 evacuees from 263 families compared to 40 from 11 families in the afternoon.

The evacuees, from Kampung Naradang, Kampung Korina, Kampung Purina and Kampung Andab Bangau, were taken to a temporary relief centre at SK Sikuati, Kudat.

Five roads in the area were submerged by floods but three remain accessible to vehicles.

In Johor, the flood situation improved with the number of evacuees recorded in the eight affected areas declining from 9,144 to 8,544.

State Government, Urban Well-being and Environment Committee chairman Tan Chen Choon said in a statement that five temporary relief centres in Kota Tinggi and Johor Bahru had been closed.

He said the 2,308 families have been placed in 86 temporary relief centres in Kluang (28), Segamat (25), Kota Tinggi (14), Mersing (10), Pontian (three), Batu Pahat (three), Kulai (two) and Johor Bahru (1). Kluang recorded the highest number of evacuees at 2,640, followed by Kota Tinggi (2,123).

According to Tan, the Kota Tinggi-Mersing Federal Road near the Panti R&R at KM71 was closed after the water level rose to 1.7m. Jalan Felda Aping Timur, Lorong Durian Dua has also been closed. - FMT