Call for study on recurring floods

KANGAR: A study should be carried out on why floods have been recurring in the state since 2010, said the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail.

He also advised victims to follow instructions given by the authorities, such as not to smoke at the evacuation centres and to maintain harmony among themselves.

“I urge the families to be patient under the present situation,” he said while visiting flood victims at the evacuation centre in Sekolah Kebangsaan Bintong yesterday.

As of noon yesterday, 460 people from 131 families in the state are still staying at four evacuation centres.

In a statement, the Perlis Disaster Management Department secretariat said the centres in Kangar were at SK Bintong (284 people), SK Panggau (46) and Dewan Orang Ramai Kota Keran (38). The other centre is in Arau, at SK Long Boh, which is sheltering 92 people.

In ALOR STAR, the number of flood victims in Kedah, as of noon, dropped to 636 from 651 yesterday morning.

The State Disaster Management Department secretariat in a statement said 189 families were still staying at five evacuation centres in Kota Setar, Kubang Pasu and Pendang.

In KUANTAN, 368 students and 32 teachers from SK Damak, Jerantut, had to return home after the school compound was flooded on Tuesday morning.

Pahang Education Department director Datuk Rosdi Ismail said water started to recede at noon and the school session would resume the following day. – Bernama