Floods worsening in East Coast, especially Kelantan

2009/11/23

KUALA LUMPUR, Mon: The flood situation in the East Coast, especially Kelantan, is getting worse with more people being evacuated to relief centres since early this morning compared with yesterday. (Update: 11am) A spokesman of the State Flood Operations Centre in Kota Darulnaim said as of 6am today, a total of 3,019 victims had been evacuated throughout the state compared with 2,327 victims last night.

The evacuees comprised 1,488 victims from the Pasir Mas district, Kuala Krai (812), Tanah Merah (401), Jeli (247), Pasir Puteh (36) and Machang (35), he said today.

The spokesman said the victims had to be evacuated as the water levels at most of the flood assessment centres in the state had risen and were above the danger level and had overflowed the river banks.

As at 9am, the water level at Tangga Krai rose to 26.91 metres, 1.91 metres above the danger level (25 metres).

The water level in Kampung Jenob Sungai Golok was 23.63 metres, 0.13 metres above the danger level (23.50 metres) while in Rantau Panjang the level was 10.44 metres, 1.44 metres above the danger level (9 metres).

Among the major roads that were closed were the Kota Baharu - Pantai Cahaya Bulan Road at KM4 Kampung Tikat; Pohon Tanjong-Rantau Panjang Road (Jalan Lama) at Km11 Kampung Siram; Jalan Rantau Panjang - Panglima Bayu at Km8.8 Kampung Kajang as the water levels along these stretches were more than one meter.

However, no fatality had been reported so far.

In KUANTAN, the number of flood victims evacuated was 33 when floods hit two settlements here, namely Kampung Darat Sungai Ular and Kampung Chendor Tengah.

A spokesman of the Pahang Police Contingent Headquarters Operations Room said 24 people from Kampung Darat Sungai Ular were being placed at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Cherating relief centre while nine people from Kampung Chendor Tengah were being placed at the community hall in the village.

"The evacuation only involved the Kuantan district while no road closures were reported in the other districts so far," he said, here today.

The rise in the number of evacuees began about 6.30pm yesterday. There were no injuries or fatality reported, he added. - Bernama