Johor latest to be hit by floods, number of evacuees up elsewhere

 

Eight relief centres were opened in Segamat to shelter 456 victims from 133 families after floods hit the district last night. (Facebook pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Johor became the latest state to be hit by floods with eight relief centres opened in Segamat to shelter 456 victims from 133 families as of 8am today.

The number of evacuees in four earlier affected states also continued to rise, namely in Sabah, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan and Terengganu.

In Johor, eight centres were opened late last night following a continuous downpour in the Segamat district since morning.

The areas affected were Kampung Sermin, Kampung Lembah Bakti, Kampung Pekan Air Panas, Kampung Paya Lenga, Kampung Paya Lebar, Kampung Gelang Chinchin, Kampung Tenang and Kampung Sedeng.

According to the department of irrigation and drainage (DID) official flood information portal, the water level in Sungai Muar in Kampung Awat had exceeded the danger level at 20.11m while Sungai Lenik in Kampung Chaah was above the warning level at 5.58m as of 8.15am.

In addition, the water level in Sungai Tangkak in Kampung Seri Makmur, Tangkak, has also exceeded the danger level at 4.16m.

In Sabah, the number of Kota Marudu flood victims rose to 504 people from 167 families this morning, compared to 73 people from 17 families last night.

One new relief centre has been opened at SMK Tandek to provide shelter to 253 victims from 97 families.

“The number of people being evacuated continued to increase as the water level remains high.

“We are still monitoring the villages that have been flooded,” the Sabah disaster management committee secretariat said in a statement.

In Negeri Sembilan, state civil defence force director Mohd Syukri Madnor said 138 victims from 41 families were currently staying at nine centres.

The state fire and rescue department said 295 people stranded by floodwaters were rescued this morning.

They were from Felda Jelai 4 in Gemas; Kampung Tengah, Kampung Geduk, Kampung Tenai, and Kampung Baru Geduk in Gemencheh; Felda Palong 1 in Bahau; Kampung Kuala Johol, Kuala Pilah, as well as Kampung Tanah Datar Hilir and Teha Homestay in Seri Menanti.

Meanwhile, 1,129 evacuees in Kelantan were being sheltered at 18 relief centres in three districts, namely 11 in Kuala Krai, Jeli (six) and Tanah Merah (one).

The DID portal reported that only one major river in the state was at the danger level, namely Sungai Kelantan in Kuala Krai, with a reading of 25.27m.

Over in Terengganu, more people have been evacuated, with 451 people from 128 families currently taking shelter at the various centres this morning compared to 433 people from 123 families last night.

The state disaster management committee secretariat, in a statement, said that another relief centre had been opened in the Dungun district, namely at the Kampung Minda community hall, which is housing 18 victims from five families. The number of evacuees in three other centres remained unchanged.

In Pahang, Info Bencana reported that 2,030 victims were still at 32 relief centres in six districts this morning.

The authorities have reopened seven more relief centres in Raub as part of preparations to shelter flood victims following continuous heavy rain. Currently, only one relief centre in SK Ulu Atok is operating with 35 people from eight families.

The DID portal also reported that the water levels at two rivers have reached danger levels and are increasing. They are Sungai Lipis in Batu Malim, Raub and Sungai Serting in Padang Gudang, Bera.

Six others are at the warning levels, namely Sungai Pahang in Paya Gintong, Jerantut; Sungai Dong in Kampung Peruas (Raub); Sungai Lipis in Benta (Lipis); Sungai Triang in Chemomoi (Bentong); Sungai Luit in Kampung Subuh, Maran; and Sungai Kechau in Kampung Dusun (Lipis).

In Selangor, the meteorological department has forecast that Sabak Bernam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor and Gombak would experience thunderstorms and heavy rain today.

In Melaka, a total of 96 people from 29 families were relocated to two relief centres after the Alor Gajah district was hit by floods again last night.

State civil defence director Cuthbert John Martin Quadra said 15 victims from eight families were placed at Balai Raya Gadek, which was reopened at 3.30am, while 81 people from 21 families were taking shelter at SMK Seri Pengkalan, which was reopened at 7am today. - FMT