RELIEF CENTRES CLOSED IN STAGES
Those in Lipis, Raub and Jerantut shut down as flood situation improves
T.N. ALAGESH KUANTAN news@nst.com.my
THE flood situation in Pahang continues to improve. The flood relief centres in Lipis, Raub and Jerantut were closed in stages at noon yesterday.
According to the Welfare Department’s flood portal, Kuantan remains the worst hit district with 2,976 people from 841 families seeking shelter at 17 relief centres.
State Malaysia Youth Council (MYC) members have been deployed to help clean flood relief centres and housing settlements here.
About 80 volunteers from associations and clubs registered with the council were also involved in cleaning schools that were used as temporary relief centres.
Pahang MYC president Wan Emril Nizam Wan Embong said the volunteers had started cleaning SMK Gudang Rasau and SMK Paya Besar so that lessons could resume as usual tomorrow.
He said volunteers had also been sent to help with clean-up efforts at housing settlements.
The state Education Departments of the four states hit by recent floods have been instructed to submit reports on damage in schools as soon as possible.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, said based on initial reports, 34 primary schools were closed during the floods while 31 secondary schools were converted into flood relief centres in Pahang, Terengganu, Johor and Sarawak.
Mahdzir said Pahang recorded the highest number of affected schools with 27, followed by Terengganu (5), Johor (2), and Sarawak (2) involving a total of 7,406 students.
Terengganu Education Department director Shafruddin Ali Hussain said RM380,000 was needed to repair affected schools.