Increase in flood evacuees in Kelantan, Terengganu

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 -- The number of flood victims in Kelantan and Terengganu has increased following continuous rain in most areas in the two states.

Kuala Krai is the second district to be affected by the floods in Kelantan following the evacuation of 90 victims to four relief centres as at 8 am today.

 According to the Social Welfare Department’s (JKM) InfoBencana, 28 of the evacuees are accommodated at PPS Masjid Lama Keroh, Kuala Krai, Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Bedal (31), SK Chenulang (28) and at Masjid Abu Bakar Tanjong Kala (three).

In Tanah Merah, the number of flood victims continued to increase to 39 people, comprising 12 families, compared to 18 victims last night, and out of that number, 12 of them are at PPS SK Lawang, Sk Kelewek (15) and Padang Kijang Community Hall (12).

 According to the Drainage and Irrigation Department’s  website, at http://publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my,  as of 8 am today, the water in Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang has exceeded the danger level at a reading of 9.01 metres and is rising. The danger level is 9 metre, while the level of the same river at the flood assessment point in Jenob, Tanah Merah, showed a reading of 22.88 metre,  which is past the warning level of 22.5 metre.

Rantau Panjang Fire and Rescue Station chief Imran Ismail said the water level in Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang is rising due to occasional heavy rain in the area.

In Sungai Galas,  in Limau Kasturi, Gua Musang , the water has risen to above the alert  level at  56.97 metre (alert level is 56 metre) and Sungai Kelantan in Kusial, Tanah Merah , also recorded a reading above the alert level of 13.94 metre (alert level is 12 metre).

In TERENGGANU, the number of flood victims continued to increase to 275 people from 81 families as of 8 tam today,  compared to 56 people from 16 families at 6 pm yesterday.

The fourth wave of floods that started in Kemaman yesterday, has spread to three more districts namely Besut, Setiu and Dungun.

Head of the Secretariat of the State Disaster Management Committee, Lieutenant Colonel (PA) Che Adam A Rahman said eight PPS had been opened in the affected districts, comprising four in Kemaman, two in Setiu and one each in Besut and Dungun.

"In Kemaman, the number of victims continues to increase to 203 people from 56 families , while in Setiu, there are 31 victims from 15 families.

"In Dungun, there are  23 flood victims  from four families while in Besut, there are 18 people from six families," he said, adding that intermittent rain is reported in some areas in the state.

Meanwhile, the Drainage and Irrigation Department’, through its website at http://infobanjir.water.gov.my,  reported the water level of Sungai Tebak at Jambatan Tebak, Kemaman, has risen to 19.20 metres, which is above the danger level  of 18.5 metre,  while the reading at Sungai Nerus in Kampung Langkap, Setiu, is  21.53 metre. The danger level is  21 metres.

The water in Sungai Telemong in Kuala Ping, Hulu Terengganu and Sungai Besut at Jambatan Keruak is also reported to have slightly exceeded the danger level.

-- BERNAMA