Over 60 people in two Kedah districts at flood evacuation centres

 

Over 60 people from 16 families in Langkawi and Kubang Pasu districts are still taking shelter at two flood evacuation centres (PPS) as of noon today. - BERNAMA pic

ALOR STAR: Over 60 people from 16 families in Langkawi and Kubang Pasu districts are still taking shelter at two flood evacuation centres (PPS) as of noon today.

Kedah Malaysia Civil Defence Force (APM) Disaster Management Committee Secretariat head Mohd Muaz Mohd Yusof said the victims were housed at the Dewan Syifak PPS in Padang Matsirat, Langkawi and the SMK Changloon PPS in Kubang Pasu.

"As at noon today, 43 victims from 11 families are still taking shelter at the Dewan Syifak PPS since 8pm yesterday.

"In Kubang Pasu, 24 victims from five families are still housed at the SMK Changloon PPS," he said in a statement.

Muaz said the water level in Sungai Melaka, in Padang Matsirat, which breached the danger level yesterday, had subsided to its normal level this morning.

Meanwhile in Langkawi, several flood victims said they were caught off guard when Sungai Melaka overflowed yesterday.

Noorisham Bahari, 47, from Kampung Limbung Putra said she was shocked when her house, located near the riverbank, was inundated about 2pm.

The mother of five said she was at home with her husband, Jamaludin Bidin, 51, and their three young children at the time.

"We were caught off-guard and had to scramble to save our belongings but we could not salvage most of the electrical appliances," she said when met at the Dewan Syifak PPS.

Their neighbour, Nursyafiqah Hamidi, 27, said she was away at work when the floods struck.

"My mother, Siti Baidah Che Mat, 64, was alone at home. There was not much she could do to save our belongings. Most of the electrical appliances were damaged by the floodwaters," she said, adding that the poor drainage system at the village was unable to cope with the raging floodwaters.

Several areas in Langkawi were hit by floods yesterday afternoon after continuous rainfall which began at 4am.

The other affected settlements were Kampung Buluh Penyumpit and Kampung Atas. The bad weather also caused four landslide incidents along the access road to Gunung Raya.

The incident forced the organisers of Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) to change plans for the final two stages of the race.

It was reported that the race organisers, Human Voyage Sdn Bhd, as confirming that the highly anticipated climb up to Gunung Raya for stage seven today was cancelled.

The race was instead used for route stage eight - a loop around the island (115.9km) - for stage seven today. - NST