TELUK INTAN, Nov 15 — Breached bunds at Kampung Batu 9 and Batu 10, Changkat Jong which are part of the ongoing Flood Mitigation Project have been the cause of stagnant flood waters in Hilir Perak since October 23.

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the government had allocated RM10 million specifically to build the bunds to prevent flooding and the project is still underway.

He said a request has been made through the Department of Irrigation and Drainage to apply for additional allocations from the federal government to repair the bunds and complete the project.

"The bunds were built according to specifications but some of them were breached, causing water to rush in. It is difficult for the water to flow out to the river and that is why it is taking so long to recede,” he said after visiting flood evacuees at the Dewan Serbaguna Chikus temporary flood relief centre (PPS), near here today.

Earlier, he had visited the Dewan Serbaguna Padang Tembak PPS with State Women, Family, Social Welfare and Entrepreneur Development chairman, Datuk Salbiah Mohamed.

Commenting on the relocation of the stagnant flood victims in Changkat Jong to a new site, Saarani said there were several challenges, including financial constraints.

"It depends on the families involved, whether they have the funds to build a new house. The government can provide them with the land, but building a house and the surrounding infrastructure needs a high capital,” he said.

Saarani said in the past six months the state government has relocated 15 families from the worst-hit area of Lorong Mesra Batu 7½ Changkat Jong to the People’s Housing Project (PPR) at Jalan Laksama Teluk Intan. — Bernama