Kuantan folk get ready to evacuate

KUANTAN: The number of families seeking shelter at flood-relief centres in Terengganu has dropped as some have been allowed to return home following improved weather conditions.

The number of flood victims at 30 flood-relief centres in the state stood at 1,974 people from 560 families.

State Civil Defence Force director Lieutenant-Colonel Che Adam A. Rahman said 223 families from Setiu and Dungun were allowed to return home.

As of 4pm yesterday, Setiu had 288 victims from 21 families seeking shelter at five flood relief centres.

In Dungun, the number of victims seeking shelter at four flood-relief centres has dropped to 288 (from 79 families).

Che Adam said families who remained at the flood-relief centres were not allowed to leave due to safety reasons.

Updates, however, differed for Besut and Hulu Terengganu where there was an increase of victims being evacuated to flood relief centres.

The number of victims in Besut increased to 1,181 people from 306 families as at 4pm yesterday, compared with 290 families at 8am. The families are seeking shelter at 19 flood-relief centres.

In Hulu Terengganu, 217 victims from 84 families are seeking shelter at two flood relief centres in the district.

In Pahang, continuous rain since Thursday has led to water levels of three rivers in the state breaching the alert level yesterday morning.

According to infobanjir.water.gov.my, Sungai Kuantan’s water level in Pasir Kemudi had increased to 5.89m compared with its normal level of 2m.

The river’s alert level starts at 6.4m.

Sungai Belat at Sri Damai was at 3.33m compared to its normal level of 1.5m. Its alert level is at 4m.

Sungai Lipis in Batu Malim, Raub, stood at 114.03m, just slightly below its alert level of 114.24. It’s normal water level is at 113.2m, while its danger level is 114.8m.

Residents living near the areas, especially those prone to flooding, have been urged to prepare themselves for evacuation.

Meanwhile, photos of a hut immersed underwater in Kampung Bantal Ulu Tembeling Jerantut, on social media had raised unwarranted fear.

The New Sunday Times was informed by a resident that the images were taken at the Sungai Tembeling riverbanks. He said this was a normal phenomenon and was nothing to be worried about.

The resident said shops by the river would have prepared earlier on knowing that this would happen, while residents at the village lived further from the river area and on higher ground.

Pahang Civil Defence Force director Colonel Zainal Yusoff said the water level at the river was rising and showing no sign of subsiding.

Sungai Tembeling’s water level at Kuala Tahan was at 62.86m on Friday, but this was within the safe level.

Pahang is expected to experience continuous rain until Monday.