Kedah floods worsen, Perak, Kelantan also hit

2009/11/17

KUALA LUMPUR: Thousands of flood victims were evacuated in Kedah and Perak yesterday as intermittent but occasionally heavy rain caused water to rise in the low-lying areas.

More are expected to be affected as the Meteorological Department reported that the bad weather would persist until Thursday in the two states and Kelantan.

The flood situation in Kedah worsened when two more districts, Bandar Baharu and Baling, were hit by floods.

A state flood evacuation centre spokesman said the number of evacuees in the state had risen to 1,621.

He said 280 people from Bandar Baharu had been placed in four centres in the district, while 20 people from Baling were taking shelter in a centre in the district.

“Kota Star has the highest number of evacuees with 723 people from 209 families taking shelter in six centres. Kubang Pasu has 474 evacuees from 119 families in six centres.

“A total of 124 people from 25 families in Pokok Sena have now been placed in three centres in the district.” Those living in low-lying areas in Pendang district have been put on alert following a downpour two days ago.

A 60-year-old man became the first flood victim in Kedah when he fell into Sungai Kampung Alor Mengkuang in Bukit Raya, Pendang, yesterday.

The yet-to-be-identified man was riding his motorcycle when he fell into the river about 3pm.

His body was recovered an hour later and sent to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Star for a postmortem.

The evacuation centre in Padang Terap was closed at noon yesterday and the 37 evacuees allowed to return to their homes.

In Perak, Bernama reports that the number of flood victims in two districts has risen to 630 yesterday morning, up from 522 on Sunday as villages are inundated with floodwaters more than a metre high.

A spokesman for the Kerian police district operations room said the number of victims in the Kerian district rose by 108,making the total 558. In the Larut-Matang- Selama district, the number stood at 72.

The new flood victims from Kampung Sungai Sama Gagah began to be evacuated from Sunday night.

They were housed in four centres, together with 450 others evacuated five days ago.

Those moved five days ago were from Kampung Changkat Lobak, Kampung Selekoh, Kampung Beriah, Parit Simpang Empat, Parit Simpang Lima and Kampung Matang Tengah.

All the flood victims were moved after continuous heavy rain over five days.

Jalan Alor Pongsu-Selama, from Km13 to Km17, was still closed to all traffic.