Melaka’s Kg Morten among areas worst hit by floods

 

The iconic Kampung Morten of Melaka, a favourite tourist haunt, is now submerged and evacuation centres in the state are on alert.

PETALING JAYA: Rising flood waters have seen nearly 1,800 flood victims evacuated in Melaka, with tourist attractions such as the Kg Morten heritage area among those which are now submerged.

Located on the banks of the Melaka River and within walking distance of the Unesco World Heritage city of Melaka, the Malay village features hundreds of houses built in the 1960s boasting traditional design and landscape.

“Kg Morten and Sungai Melaka. The rain is still continuing. We should prioritise the safety of the residents and help each other,” said former Melaka chief minister Adly Zahari on Facebook.

Earlier today, Bernama reported that the flood situation in Melaka was getting worse after a total of 1,778 victims involving 462 families were evacuated as of 8pm last night.

The Melaka director of the Malaysian civil defence force (APM), Cuthbert John Martin Quadra, said the number of temporary evacuation centers (PPS) opened today also increased from 19 this afternoon to 20.

Of that number, 10 centres have been opened in the Alor Gajah district, eight in Central Melaka and two in Jasin.

Alor Gajah deputy police chief Azrul Mohamed led a team of officers surveying the affected areas today, stating on Facebook that all of his staff at the district police headquarters are on “standby mode”.

Earlier, MetMalaysia had issued a continuous rain warning at dangerous, severe and alert levels in most areas in the country until Tuesday.

Besides Melaka, they involve the states of Johor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak, and Selangor; and the Federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. - FMT