Johor becomes 4th state to be hit by floods

 

The total number of evacuees in Kelantan, Pahang, Johor and Terengganu stood at 1,806. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of flood evacuees in Kelantan and Pahang continued to rise this evening as floods began to hit Johor, with Segamat being the first affected district.

As at 4pm, the total number of evacuees in these three states and Terengganu stood at 1,806.

In Kelantan, the number of evacuees rose to 657 from 212 families this evening compared with 280 from 84 families in the morning.

The Kelantan state disaster management committee secretariat said the evacuees were being housed at four relief centres in Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas, with 450 of them at SK Tok Deh and the others at SK Gual Periok (81), SK Kubang Kual (66) and Putat Tujoh relief centre (60).

In Pahang, there are currently 581 people at 11 centres as at 4pm, compared with 537 at eight centres at 8am, with Temerloh having the highest number of evacuees with 382, followed by Lipis (83), Raub (48), Jerantut (39) and Bera (29).

In Johor, the district disaster management committee said that 22 victims from seven families were evacuated to the relief centre at Balai Raya Kampung Batu Badak, Segamat, at noon after Sungai Muar broke its banks. The victims were residents of Kampung Seberang Batu Badak and Kampung Batu 5.

In Terengganu, the number of flood evacuees dropped slightly to 546 from 137 families this evening compared with 599 people from 154 families in the morning.

As at 3pm, seven relief centres were open in four districts, with Kemaman housing 279 evacuees, Kuala Nerus (220), Kuala Terengganu (43) and Setiu (four).

Continuous rain warning

Meanwhile, the meteorological department (MetMalaysia) has issued a severe-level continuous heavy rain warning for Terengganu and several districts in Kelantan until tomorrow.

It said the severe-level continuous heavy rain was expected to occur in the Kelantan districts of Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kota Bharu, Tanah Merah, Bachok, Machang and Pasir Puteh, while alert-level continuous rain was expected in the state’s Jeli, Kuala Krai and Gua Musang districts until tomorrow.

The irrigation and drainage department (DID) also issued a flood preparedness notice today for the next 24 hours in several areas in Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Melaka, Pahang and Perak.

In Johor, floods are expected to occur in the Pontian district (Api-Api, Ayer Baloi, Ayer Masin, Benut, Pontian, Rimba Terjun, Sungai Pinggan subdistricts and the surrounding areas) while in Negeri Sembilan, the area expected to be hit is Port Dickson (Pekan Lukut, Pekan Jemima, Si Rusa and Jimah subdistricts as well as the surrounding areas).

In Selangor, the areas include the districts of Sepang (Sepang and Dengkil subdistricts as well as the surrounding areas) and Petaling (Pekan Batu Tiga, Shah Alam and the surrounding areas).

In Pahang the areas are the districts of Kuantan (Kuantan, Kuala Kuantan and  Sungai Karang subdistricts as well as the surrounding areas), Lipis (Telang subdistrict and the surrounding areas) and Jerantut (Tawar and Hulu subdistricts as well as the surrounding areas).

In Perak, the areas at risk include the districts of Larut, Matang and Selama (Bukit Gantang, Sungai Limau, Pengkalan Aor, Jebong, Asam Kumbang subdistricts and the surrounding areas) as well as Kerian (Bagan Serai, Gunong Semanggol, Beriah, Kuala Kurau, Parit Buntar subdistricts and the surrounding areas). - FMT