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Floods worsen as number of evacuees goes up in four states - The Leaders OnlineThe Leaders Online

Floods worsen as number of evacuees goes up in four states

by Theleaders-Online | January 3, 2022 3:40 am

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of flood evacuees in temporary evacuation centres (PPS) in Melaka, Johor, Pahang and Sabah continued to see an increase as the flood situation worsened tonight while there has been a drop in Negeri Sembilan.

In MELAKA, the number of evacuees rose to 1,778 from 462 families as of 8 pm compared to 1,661 evacuees from 429 families at 4 pm yesterday.

Melaka Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) director Lt Col (PA) Cuthbert John Martin Quadra said all of the victims were from 14 areas in Alor Gajah, nine in Melaka Tengah and four more in Jasin.

“A total of 799 victims from 217 families are housed in 10 PPS in Alor Gajah, 903 from 228 families in eight PPS in Melaka Tengah and 76 victims from 17 families in two PPS in Jasin,” he said in a statement yesterday.

In JOHOR, Johor Bahru and Kluang became the latest two districts in the state to be hit by floods.

Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman R. Vidyananthan said eight more PPS were opened with five in Segamat, one in Johor Bahru and two in Kluang.

“The number of flood victims has increased to 2,553 people from 653 families tonight compared to 2,022 from 512 families this evening,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Segamat, with 2,366 victims, remains the district with the highest number of evacuees followed by Kota Tinggi (113), Tangkak (51), Kluang (22) while Johor Bahru had one evacuee.

In PAHANG, the number of those evacuated increased further tonight to 2,137 in 49 PPS covering eight districts, compared to 2,058 evacuees this evening, the State Disaster Management secretariat said.

The eight districts affected are Raub, Lipis, Jerantut, Maran, Bera and Rompin, which were hit by the second wave of the floods while Temerloh and Pekan are still housing evacuees from the floods that struck last month.

The number of closed roads also rose to eight from seven this evening, including Jalan Bentong-Gua Musang in Lipis, Jalan Ulu Dong (Raub), Jalan Sungai Lembing (Kuantan), Jalan Kuantan-Segamat (Pekan) and Jalan Kuala Lumpur-Kuantan (Maran).

The publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my website meanwhile reported that six rivers have exceeded their danger levels, Sungai Tanum in Chegar Perah and Sungai Jelai in Lipis, Sungai Pahang in Paya Gintong (Jerantut), Sungai Pahang in Kuala Krau (Temerloh), Sungai Serting in Padang Gudang (Bera) and Sungai Luit in Kampung Subuh (Maran).

Also, the number of flood evacuees In SABAH has risen to 1,823 people from 599 families tonight from 1,249 people from 432 families yesterday evening.

The state disaster management secretariat stated that four new relief centres were opened in Kota Marudu, for an overall total of 11 centres hosing 1,474 evacuees from 520 families, making it the district with the most flood evacuees so far.

One new relief centre was opened in Paitan sub-district, bringing the total to three centres, housing 81 people from 18 families, while three centres in Telupid are housing 43 people from eight families.

Apart from that, one relief centre each was opened in Sandakan to accommodate 151 victims from 35 families, Beluran with 38 victims from eight families, and Pitas where 36 victims from 10 families are taking shelter, read the statement.

It said the water level of Sungai Bongon in the Kota Marudu district has reached the danger level while Jalan Langkon Pitas and Jalan Bolatan Gosen were only accessible to heavy vehicles.

According to the secretariat, landslide incidents were also reported at Jalan Kompleks Sukan in the Ranau district, and Kampung Warisan in Kinabatangan but there were no casualties.

In NEGERI SEMBILAN, the latest update by the Social Welfare Department’s (JKM) Disaster Info site showed that the number of flood victims housed in 20 relief centres in the state has dropped to 1,892 individuals from 505 families as of 9 pm compared with 1,973 people from 532 families at 4 pm yesterday.

In TERENGGANU, the number of evacuees remained at 137 people from 42 families housed in two relief centres in the Dungun district.

They are the Kampung Shukor Community Hall housing 68 people from 20 families, and the Kampung Pasir Raja Community Hall (69 people, 22 families).

State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat chief Lt Col (PA) Mohd Rosman Abdullah said they were still monitoring the water level of the river located near the two villages.

“If the river water level is no longer worrisome, the victims will be allowed to return tomorrow, and the two relief centres will be closed, but we will remain vigilant with the bad weather warning issued by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia),“ he said.

The Department of Irrigation and Drainage via its official portal at https://publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my informed that two rivers in the state recorded water levels above the warning threshold tonight, namely Sungai Terengganu at the drawbridge here and Sungai Kemaman at Rumah Pam Paya Paman in Kemaman.

Meanwhile, in SELANGOR, six families in the Sungai Nangka area in Banting, Kuala Langat, were forced to be evacuated after floodwaters began entering their homes following continuous rain.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Norazam Khamis said firemen arrived in the area at 8 pm to evacuate a total of 15 victims to the Sri Langat PPS.

“There seems to be a rise in the number of evacuees but the situation is still under control. We have mobilised a team from the Banting fire station to help evacuate affected residents. The public is also advised to leave their homes if floodwaters rise,” he said when contacted.

He said the department has yet to receive any flood-related distress calls from other areas in Selangor, adding that the situation in Taman Seri Nanding in Hulu Langat and Shah Alam which were badly hit by floods recently were still under control.

Earlier, MetMalaysia had issued a continuous rain warning at dangerous, severe and alert levels in most areas in the country until Tuesday (Jan 4).

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

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