Perak and Pahang see increase in flood evacuees as Johor numbers stay steady, drops in Kedah

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — The number of flood victims in Perak and Pahang increased this morning, while in Johor, it remained the same as yesterday, and in Kedah, it decreased.

In PERAK, the flood situation worsened as more people were evacuated with the number of evacuees increased to 625 people from 188 families at 11 relief centres (PPS), compared to 268 people from 85 families last night in the three flood-affected districts, namely Kerian, Kuala Kangsar, and Hulu Perak.

According to the Secretariat of the State Disaster Management Committee, five new PPS were opened in Hulu Perak last night, bringing to six PPS in the district, with a total of 172 evacuees involving 59 families.

The PPS are at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Sultan Idris Shah II, Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Plang, SK Kerunai, SMK Kenering, Dewan Kg Padang Jeri and SK Pahit.

“In the Kuala Kangsar district, the number of flood victims increased to 342 people from 94 families at the PPS at SMK RLKT Lasah, SK Lasah and Dewan Pandak Hamid, and the Bawong One Stop Orang Asli Centre (OAOSC) in Sungai Siput,” according to the secretariat.

The number of flood victims in Kerian also increased, with a total of 111 victims from 25 families at the PPSn at SK Changkat Lobak and SK Parit Haji Aman.

In PAHANG, the number of flood victims in the Temerloh district increased to 98 individuals from 25 families at four PPS as of 7.30 am today compared to 66 people from 18 families at two PPS yesterday.

According to the Social Welfare Department’s InfoBencana application, there are Sekolah Kebangsaan Lanchang and the Mempateh Community Hall accommodate 36 victims and 30 victims, respectively, while the other two PPS were opened early today.

They are at the Masjid Kampung Bongsu Mosque, with 19 people, and the remaining 13 evacuees are at the Sekolah Menengah Seri Semantan Hal.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) predicts thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds in Johor (Batu Pahat, Kluang, Mersing, Pontian, Kulai, Kota Tinggi and Johor Bahru), Sarawak, Sibu, Mukah (Matu and Dalat) and Kapit (Song and Kapit) until noon today.

In JOHOR, the number of flood victims remained at 200 people (63 families) in three districts, namely Kluang, Kulai and Batu Pahat, as of 8 am today.

State Disaster Management Committee chairman Tan Sri Dr Azmi Rohani said the highest number of evacuees were recorded in Kluang involving 101 victims from 41 families, followed by Kulai with 33 victims from 19 families and Batu Pahat, with 16 victims from three families.

According to him, four PPS are still operating, namely at SK Seri Kampung Renggam and Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Layang-Layang in Kluang, Kampung Murni Jaya Hall in Kulai and at SK Seri Bunut in Batu Pahat

“The water in Sungai Ayer Hitam in Kampung Paya Embun in Pontian, Sungai Sembrong at Batu 2 Sembrong in Batu Pahat and the Sembrong Dam is at the alert level.

“Rain is forecast in the morning in all districts in the state today, except Johor Bahru and Mersing,” he said in a statement today.

In KEDAH, the number of flood victims decreased to 2,257 people from 726 families as of 8 am today compared to 2,312 people from 709 families last night.

Kedah Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) deputy director Major (PA) Muhammad Suhaimi Mohd Zain said the victims, from five districts namely Kota Setar, Baling, Pendang, Kubang Pasu and Pokok Sena were at 21 PPS.

“Baling recorded the highest with 904 people from 314 families at nine PPS, followed by Kota Setar (710 people, 224 families) in eight PPS, Pendang (503 people, 137 families) in two PPS, Kubang Pasu (86 people, 31 families) in one PPS, while in Pokok Sena, 54 people from 20 families are at one PPS,” he said in a statement today. — Bernama