MELAKA, May 18 — The number of flood evacuees in Melaka increased to 554 people, involving 128 families, as at 8am today, from 321 yesterday.

Melaka Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) director Lt Colonel Cuthbert John Martin Quadra said a total of seven relief centres (PPS) had been opened in three districts to accommodate the evacuees, from only four yesterday.

He said two of the PPS were opened to accommodate residents affected by the flash floods in Melaka Tengah last night.

"The PPS at Sekolah Kebangsaan Ayer Molek was opened at midnight last night to accommodate residents from the Ayer Molek Public Housing, involving 139 people from 37 families,” he said in a statement here today.

He said another PPS was opened at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Malim, which is still in the process of registering the flood victims.

A total of 185 victims, involving 36 families, are at the PPS at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tun Mutahir, Sekolah Rendah Agama Jabatan Agama Islam Tanjung Minyak (64 victims from 17 families) and at SMK Bukit Rambai (45 people from 22 familes).

Meanwhile, a PPS was opened in Jasin district at SJKC Shuh Yen late yesterday to accommodate 66 victims, involving 17 families.

 ”In Alor Gajah, 55 evacuees from 13 families are housed at the Dewan Jawatankuasa Pembangunan dan Penyelarasan Dewan Undangan Negeri (Japerun) Durian Tunggal,” he added. — Bernama