Met Dept warns heavy rain to continue, flooding across peninsula

The National Meteorological Department has issued a warning that heavy rainfall which had led to flooding across several states, including the Klang Valley, will continue until tomorrow.

On Twitter, the department issued a red alert or very heavy rain warning across eight Selangor districts and in Kuala Lumpur, while other peninsula states are marked orange and yellow.

Throughout the day, Bernama reported flash floods and rising waters affecting thousands of residents, many of whom have been evacuated into temporary shelters while others remain stranded in their homes or offices.

Dozens of residents in Setia Alam and Bukit Raja, as well as Meru in Klang, had to spend the night in their cars last night when roads to their homes were flooded due to heavy downpour since yesterday morning.

In Setia Alam, the main roads connecting Meru to Bandar Bukit Raja in Klang have been in two- to three-metre deep floodwaters since late last night, causing many road users who left work late to be stranded and unable to reach home until noon today.

Earlier today, Klang MP Charles Santiago said help has been mobilised to provide food assistance to about 4,000 affected residents, with seventeen flood shelters opened so far.

Heavy rainfall continues to lash the Klang Valley as of 5pm today.

A Bernama check on the main road connecting Setia Alam to Meru found that vehicles were seen on both sides of the road that was only accessible by heavy vehicles.

The heavy rain beginning yesterday also severely affected port operations at Port Klang’s terminals at Northport, Westports and Southport, said the Port Klang Authority (PKA).

In a statement today, PKA said operations at warehouses and empty container depots in the surrounding areas have also been adversely affected and were further aggravated by damages to access roads.

“To make matters worse, many port and logistics operations staff are unable to report to work due to travel difficulties. Hence, movement of containers and cargoes to and from the ports are expected to be severely affected and deliveries will be delayed for the next several days,” it said.

PKA said vessel berthing will also be delayed due to the inclement weather which has caused a backlog of vessels at the outer anchorage with many more expected to arrive over the coming days.

However, the authority said it is working closely with port and logistics industry players to optimise available resources and do everything possible to ensure the continuance of port and logistics operations.

“Priority will be given to deliveries of essential goods, particularly food items, medical supplies and refrigerated goods,” it said.

Meanwhile, Malacca, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan became the latest states to be hit by floods apart from Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu, Bernama reported.

In Kelantan, the number of evacuees has increased to 798 people from 170 families, as of earlier today.

Kelantan Civil Defence Force (APM) Disaster Management and Operation officer Capt Mohd Hanif Omar said 11 relief centres had been opened, namely seven in Kuala Krai, two in Gua Musang and one each in Jeli and Tanah Merah.

Meanwhile, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) through its portal reported that the water level of the two main rivers in Kelantan had reached the danger point.

Sungai Golok in Kampung Jenob, Tanah Merah measured 24.36m, Sungai Kelantan in Kampung Jenob, Tanah Merah (24.62m) and Sungai Kelantan in Kuala Krai (25.51m).

In Pahang, nine more relief centres were opened in Raub this morning, housing 513 victims from 137 families, bringing the total number of operational relief centres to 25.

According to the Social Welfare Department’s Info Bencana portal, the relief centres were at Masjid Kampung Kuala Semantan, Pusat Kegiatan Wanita Batu Malim, Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tersang, Masjid Baru Kampung Ajai, Balai Raya Kampung Ria, Dewan Dato Seriwa Dong, Masjid Kuala Temau, Balai Umno Kampung Batu Talam and Dewan Serbaguna Kampung Pia.

In Terengganu, the number of victims remained at 66 people from 14 families housed in two PPS.

The DID’s portal reported that the level of Sungai Dungun in Pasir raja had breached the danger point, namely at 37.97m (danger level is 37.5m).

In Selangor, state Fire and Rescue Department director Norazam Khamis said a total of 1,011 people in the Telok Gong area, Klang, have been evacuated to three relief centres, namely at SK Telok Gong, Masjid Al-Islah and Masjid Al-Ubudia.

He said floods also forced the evacuation of about 64 residents in Kapar, Banting, Port Klang, Andalas, Pulau Indah and Sepang to several relief centres.

In Negeri Sembilan, three centres were opened this morning, namely at Balai Raya Jimah Lama dan Balai Raya Permatang Pasir, Port Dickson and Surau Keru Hilir, Tampin to accommodate 107 victims from 36 families.

State APM director Left Col (PA) Mohd Syukri Madnor said Jalan Sendayan-Kampung Jimah Lama, Port Dickson has been closed to traffic following landslides that occurred along the stretch this morning.

In Malacca, one relief centre was opened at SK Durian Tunggal, Alor Gajah to house 40 victims from 11 families.

According to Sahabat Alam Malaysia, the heavy rain and rising tide saw damage to fishing boats and houses along Tanjung Kling beach.

Those affected have also taken to Twitter to plead for or offer assistance.

It is not only people who need rescue, but animals in shelters as well.

Author Hanna Alkaff, meanwhile, started a Twitter thread for flood relief initiatives carried out by the government, political parties and NGOs.

At the same time, she noted that she had started a similar list last year and little seemed to have changed in terms of mitigation efforts ahead of the annual monsoon season.  - Mkini