KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — The number of flood victims relocated to temporary relief centres in Kedah and Penang has risen this morning, with Perlis also opening its relief centres in response to the growing number of flood-affected individuals.
In Kedah, the number of victims has surged to 2,194 as of 8 am, up from 675 reported at 5pm yesterday.
State Social Welfare Department director Datuk Zulkhairi Zainol Abidin said these victims, from 388 families across six districts — Kubang Pasu, Pendang, Kulim, Pokok Sena, Kuala Muda and Kota Setar, have been moved to 11 relief centres.
“Pokok Sena has been the hardest hit, with 1,000 victims from 173 families relocated to two newly opened centres yesterday. In Pendang, 678 victims from 43 families have been moved to a relief centre that also opened yesterday.
Kubang Pasu has recorded 301 victims from 99 families across three relief centres that have been operational since last Monday, while Kulim saw 108 victims from 34 families placed in three relief centres that opened yesterday,” he said in a statement today.
In the Kuala Muda district, 54 victims from 23 families have been placed in a relief centre, while in Kota Setar, 53 victims from 16 families are housed in a newly opened centre.
According to the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) Infobanjir website, eight rivers in Kedah have surpassed danger levels: Sungai Padang Terap in Kepala Batas, Sungai Bata in Kampung Bata, Sungai Laka in Kampung Padang Pasir (Kubang Pasu), Sungai Anak Bukit in Taman Aman and Jambatan TAR (Kota Setar), Sungai Titi Kerbau in Kubur Panjang (Pendang), Sungai Perik in Kampung Perik (Padang Terap), and Sungai Gurun in Kampung Perupok (Yan).
In addition, four rivers are at warning levels: Sungai Sedim in Kampung Sedim, Sungai Ketil in Kuala Pegang (Baling), Sungai Sari at Padang Terap Sugar Factory (Padang Terap) and Sungai Kedah at the Highway Bridge (Kota Setar).
In Penang, the number of victims has risen to 635 this morning, with 11 relief centres in operation, up from 236 victims in seven centres reported yesterday.
A spokesperson from the Penang Civil Defence Force (APM) said these individuals, from 173 families, are now in relief centres across the Seberang Perai Utara (SPU), Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT), and Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) districts.
The SPU district has the highest number of victims, with 401 people from 103 families housed in four centres, namely, Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Padang Menora, SK Lahar Yooi, Sekolah Agama Rakyat Nyior Sebatang and Labuh Banting Flood Settlement Centre.
He added that in the SPT district, five relief centres have been opened, to accommodate 168 victims from 46 families. The centres include Sekolah Rendah Islam Maahad At Tarbiah Guar Jering, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Permatang Pasir, SMK Permatang Rawa, SK Seri Penanti, and the Bukit Teh Community Hall.
In the SPS district, 66 victims from 24 families are being sheltered at Dewan MPKK Sanglang and Dewan Serbaguna Sungai Bakap.
As of 8am today, some areas in Penang are still experiencing heavy rain and strong winds.
In Perlis, two relief centres were opened last night at SK Arau and SK Sena to shelter 41 victims from 13 families.
Perlis APM director Lt Col (PA) Mohd Izaimi Md Daud reported that due to prolonged rain starting around 6pm yesterday, 33 people from nine families were evacuated to the SK Arau centre, which officially opened at 11.55pm. The SK Sena centre which opened at 10.50pm is sheltering eight victims from four families.
According to the DID Infobanjir website Sungai Gial in Arau has recorded a water level of 9.16 metres (m), exceeding the warning level, while Sungai Arau has a water level of 21.57m, surpassing the alert level as of 8am today. — Bernama
