Some east coast districts in danger zone
KUANTAN: The flood situation in the east coast continued to worsen yesterday, with several districts categorised in the danger zone, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department.
Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kota Baru, Tanah Merah, Bachok, Machang and Pasir Puteh in Kelantan, as well as Besut and Setiu in Terengganu are now in the red zone where non-stop downpours were expected to continue until today.
Jeli and Kuala Krai in Kelantan; Kuala Nerus, Hulu Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Marang, Dungun and Kemaman in Terengganu; and Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin in Pahang are currently in the orange zone where continuous rainfall are expected till tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Gua Musang in Kelantan, Jerantut in Pahang and Johor’s Kota Tinggi and Mersing are in the precautionary yellow category where heavy rainfall are expected to occur until today.
The department said strong winds of 40 to 50kph, and waves up to 3.5m were expected to occur across Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and eastern Johor.
It said this could cause sea water to overflow at beaches and river estuaries.
In Kelantan, 3,144 people from 917 families were evacuated up to 5.30pm yesterday.
The victims are housed in 40 temporary relief centres (PPS) in six districts: Pasir Mas, Kota Baru, Tanah Merah, Pasir Puteh, Machang and Bachok.
According to the Public Welfare Department’s disaster info application, Pasir Mas recorded the highest number of victims, 1,498 out of 471 families in 16 PPS.
Heavy rains also caused six roads to be inundated since yesterday in two districts, Pasir Mas and Kuala Krai.
One of the affected roads is Jalan Pengkalan Rakit-Batu Karang near Pasir Mas, which is closed to all vehicles.
Four other roads, Jalan Kota Baru-Kuala Krai near Kampung Ragu; Jalan Pasir Mas-Pohon Tanjung near Kampung Siram; Jalan Panglima Bayu-Rantau Panjang-Jeram Perdah near Kampung Kubang Rambutan and Jalan Lubok Jong-Bulatan Pohon Tanjung near Kampung Repek are closed to light vehicles.
Jalan Kota Baru-Kuala KraiGua Musang near Petron Laloh was closed to all vehicles due to a landslide.
In Rantau Panjang, including the Free Trade Zone, thousands of premises are closed due to flood and the area was closed to light vehicles.
In Terengganu, five more flood relief centres were opened in stages since yesterday to accommodate evacuees in Besut and Setiu following heavy rain in both districts.
This brings to 39 the number of flood relief centres that were opened since floods hit the state three days ago.
However, based on the Social Welfare Department’s InfoBencana website, the number of flood evacuees has dropped to 1,413 people (360 families), from 1,436 people (402 families) yesterday.
Three more flood relief centres were opened in Besut yesterday, bringing the total to 27 in the district to accommodate a total of 994 evacuees (240 families), from 906 people (228 families) early yesterday.
In Setiu, 88 people (32 families) have been evacuated to eight relief centres, from only 62 people (22 families) earlier.
In Pahang, a family of three from Rompin was the first to be evacuated due to floods.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department chief Nor Hisham Mohammed said the family, comprising two women and a boy, were brought to Balai Raya Kampung Janglau in Batu 7, here. He said six men, a federal reserve truck and a lorry were involved in the operations.
Hisham said Lipis and Raub experienced flooding due to flash floods. The Kampung Janglau community hall here became the first evacuation centre in the state following heavy rains since Saturday night.
“The six firefighters helped the victim out of their flooded home to the evacuation centre today (yesterday).
“Heavy rains in the area caused floods to inundate the residential area. Our security personnel took swift action to move them before the situation got worse.”
Hisham said the department was taking proactive steps by monitoring flood risk areas and would advise affected people to move out quickly.