KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 — The number of flood evacuees in Terengganu continues to rise, while the situation in Perak remains unchanged this morning.

In Terengganu, the State Disaster Management Committee secretariat (JPBN) said that 1,431 people are housed at 14 relief centres as of 8 am, compared with 1,327 reported last night.

The district with the highest number of evacuees is Kuala Nerus, with 699 people from 189 families taking shelter in seven relief centres, including Dewan Serbaguna Tok Jembal, Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Bukit Tunggal and SK Bukit Nanas.

In Kuala Terengganu,574 evacuees from 173 families took shelter in four relief centres, while in Setiu, two centres were operational with 26 evacuees from two families.

Marang became the latest district to be hit by floods, with one centre opened last night to house 132 people from 32 families.

Meanwhile, Terengganu State Education Department deputy director (School Management Sector), Azman Othman said 12 schools in the state were forced to close due to floods, while another nine have been used as relief centres.

He said the closed schools were SK Seri Budiman; SK Kubang Ikan; SK Pusat Kuala Ibai; SK Kedai Buluh; SK Losong; SK Kampung Bukit Chendering; Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Bukit Besar; Sekolah Menengah Agama (SMA) Sheikh Abdul Malek; SK Bukit Bayas; SK Bukit Puteri; SMK Padang Kemunting and SMK Intan Zaharah.

Schools that have been converted into relief centres are SK Chendering; SK Bukit Tunggal; SK Atas Tol; SK Bukit Nanas; SK Teluk Ketapang; SK Pasir Panjang; SK Gong Tok Nasek; SK Bukit Gasing and SK Tok Jembal.

In Perak, the number of evacuees housed at two relief centres in Kerian remained unchanged at 75 people from 22 families.

In its statement, the state JPBN said the centres are SK Changkat Lobak, which has 18 people from three families, and SK Alor Pongsu, with 57 evacuees from 19 families.

The Perak Public Works Department said that in Kerian, route FT 147 Jalan Selama is closed to all vehicles after it was inundated, and the public is urged to use the alternative road at A111 Jalan Pintasan Alor Pongsu-Bukit Merah.

In Batang Padang, only one lane on route FT 1152 Felda Trolak Selatan is open to light vehicles as urgent repairs need to be carried out on the main road due to a collapsed road shoulder.

"Only one lane is also open on route FT 001 Jalan Ipoh-Tanjung Malim to all vehicles for the implementation of the Traffic Management Plan (TMP) due to a landslide.

"In Hilir Perak, route A129 Jalan Langkap-Air Hitam has been installed with a temporary warning signboard and road users are urged to use the alternative road at route FT058,” it said. — Bernama