KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 — The number of flood victims in relief centres (PPS) in Johor, Pahang and Melaka continued to rise while two other states showed a drop as of 2pm today.

Johor still has the highest number of evacuees, with 46,742 people, followed by Pahang (3,042), Melaka (516), Negeri Sembilan (478) and Selangor (13).

In Johor, the State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) informed that four new PPS had been opened, bringing the total number of centres operating in 10 districts to 264.

It said that Batu Pahat is the most affected district with 15,915 victims from 4,616 families, followed by Segamat (13,319 people from 3,895 families); Kluang (5,270 people from 1,525 families); Muar (4,103 people from 1,214 families) and Kota Tinggi (3,249 people from 865 families).

In Tangkak, it involves 3,007 people from 870 families; Mersing (975 people from 292 families); Johor Baru (511 people from 174 families); Pontian (330 people from 86 families) and Kulai (63 people from 15 families).

The flood situation in Johor also received the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who visited the PPS in Segamat this morning.

In Pahang, the number of evacuees rose slightly to 3,042 people at 22 PPS this afternoon, compared to 2,978 people in the morning.

The JPBN Secretariat said that even though the flood situation in Bera has improved after the last 29 victims were allowed to return home this morning, there was an increase in the number of evacuees in Rompin, which is the most affected district.

So far, 2,717 victims are still housed at 20 PPS in Rompin, 296 people in one PPS in Temerloh and 29 people in one PPS in Maran.

In Melaka, the number of evacuees rose to 516 people from 138 families as of 2pm, compared to 493 people from 134 families at 8 am.

The JPBN Secretariat, in a statement, said 507 people from 135 families are taking shelter at five PPS in Jasin, while nine people from three families are at one PPS in Alor Gajah.

Meanwhile, in Negeri Sembilan, state Civil Defence Force director Lieutenant Colonel (PA) Mohd Nazri Mes Kam said the number of evacuees continued to drop to 478 people from 123 families, currently housed at two PPS in Tampin.

In Selangor, 13 victims from two families are still housed at the PPS in Sekolah Kebangsaan Merbau Sempak, Sungai Buloh, compared to 71 people from 17 families this morning. — Bernama