KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 23 ― Sarawak and Selangor today became the latest states to be struck by floods, requiring five relief centres (PPS) to be opened, as of 8am.

Perak saw an increase in the number of flood evacuees this morning but Terengganu and Kelantan recorded a downward trend while the situation remained unchanged in Johor.

In Sarawak, the State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) reported that three PPS had been opened in Kuching as of 7am, to accommodate 119 flood victims from 30 families.

Seventy-five of the evacuees were at Dewan Kampung Bedaun, 40 at Balai Raya Kampung Jugan and four at Balai Raya Kampung Opar.

In Selangor, the JPBN secretariat informed that two PPS had been opened since last night, namely at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Merbau Sempak, Shah Alam which housed 20 flood victims and Dewan MPKS Desa Coalfield, Kuala Selangor with 34 people.

In Perak, the number of evacuees rose to 50 from 17 families as of 8am, up from 41 people from 15 families last night.

A Perak JPBN secretariat spokesperson said a PPS was opened at Dewan Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Abd Rahman Talib (SMART) yesterday to accommodate 24 victims from five families from Kampung Batu 7 Changkat Jong, Hilir Perak.

The number of evacuees at SK Sungai Tiang Darat in Bagan Datuk remained at 26 people from 12 families while Sungai Bidor in Changkat Jong, Hilir Perak still recorded reading above the warning level of 3.26 metres, and rain was reported in most areas.

In Terengganu, the number of evacuees dropped to 25,895 from 27,396 last night.

The JPBN secretariat in a statement said that 6,844 families were still sheltering at 181 PPS in all eight districts in the state.

Kemaman had the most number of evacuees at 5,439, followed by Dungun (5,201); Besut (4,309); Hulu Terengganu (3,567); Kuala Nerus (3,561); Kuala Terengganu (2,503); Setiu (1,118) and Marang (197).

In Kelantan, 24,297 flood victims from 7,623 families were housed at 75 PPS this morning, a drop from the 24,690 evacuees from 7,709 families last night.

The JPBN secretariat said the evacuees were at PPS in nine districts ― Pasir Mas, Tanah Merah, Kuala Krai, Pasir Puteh, Kota Baru, Bachok, Tumpat, Jeli and Machang.

In Pahang, the JPBN secretariat said the number of evacuees remained at 23 people from six families, who were housed at the SK Sungai Ular, Kuantan.

The Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) reported that the water levels of Sungai Keratong, Rompin and Sungai Pahang in Lubuk Paku, Maran as well as Paloh Hinai, Pekan still above the warning marks.

In Johor, the number of evacuees at two PPS in Segamat remained unchanged at 46.

The JPBN informed that 34 people were still housed at Balai Raya Kampung Batu Badak while 12 victims were at Dewan Komuniti Kampung Tasek.

“All the victims from 14 families are the residents of Kampung Seberang Batu Badak and Kampung Batu 5 Segamat,” it said in a statement.

DID reported that five rivers in the state recorded readings at the alert level and they were Sungai Muar in Buloh Kasap (8.40 metres); Sungai Muar in Kampung Awat (18.97 metres); Sungai Sembrong at the Sembrong Dam (10.04 metres); Sungai Ayer Hitam in Kampung Paya Embun (4.77 metres) and Sungai Endau in Kampung Labong at 1.29 m.

Meanwhile, it is reported to be raining in Johor Baru, Muar, Mersing, Pontian, Segamat, Kluang and Batu Pahat; while it was sunny in Kota Tinggi, Tangkak and Kulai. ― Bernama