Kelantan, Terengganu brace for the worst

2009/11/23

KUALA LUMPUR: The flood situation in Kelantan and Terengganu will continue to worsen as the Meteorological Department here has maintained the red-stage warning for the two states until Wednesday. Already, three major rivers in Kelantan overflowed their banks yesterday, forcing some 2,000 people to seek shelter in relief centres.

In Terengganu, 7,239 people from 1,723 families were evacuated as at 5pm.

The department said the two states could expect heavy monsoon rain with sustained wind speed of at least 60kph.

It said winds with sustained speed of at least 60kph could also cause structural damage to buildings.

Due to strong northeasterly winds of 40-50kph, the two states are also exposed to rising sea levels and waves of up to 3.5m high.

In Kota Baru, a spokesman at the state flood operations centre said the water levels of Sungai Kelantan, Sungai Golok and Sungai Lebir rose above the danger mark at five flood-assessment points after heavy rain.

Measurements at Krai Steps, Guillemard Bridge, Sungai Lebir, Rantau Panjang and Jenob registered at above the danger mark at 4pm.

Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang was measured at 10.44m, which was 1.44m above the danger level of 9m; while in Jenob the measurement was 24.66m (danger level 23.50m).

Water level of Sungai Kelantan at Krai Steps was recorded at 26.12m and Guillemard Bridge 17.85m while the measurement at Sungai Lebir was at 35.40m.

Five roads, including Jalan Rantau Panjang-Panglima Bayu, Jalan Tanah Merah-Kusial and Jalan Batu Jong-Nal, were closed to traffic as they were submerged under 0.5m to 1.5m of floodwaters. However, major roads were still passable to traffic.

The spokesman said the flood victims were evacuated to 32 relief centres in Kuala Krai, Machang, Pasir Mas, Pasir Putih and Tanah Merah.

“Most of them were from Pasir Mas, followed by those in Kuala Krai and Tanah Merah.

They were sent to the relief centres in stages since Friday evening ,” the spokesman said.

The state government has set up 728 relief centres, which can house up to 150,700 people. The centres are mostly schools and community halls.

In Kuala Terengganu, 17 roads in the state remained closed to all vehicles and six were closed to light vehicles after being submerged by floodwaters of between a metre and three metres.

Checks with the state Drainage and Irrigation Department website revealed that the water level in five rivers here had surpassed the danger level. The rivers are Sungai Besut Kampung La, Sungai Besut near Jambatan Jerteh, Sungai Dungun in Kuala Jengai, Sungai Chalok and Sungai Marang.

A state National Security Council spokesman said Kemaman recorded the highest number of evacuees, with 1,405 people from 315 families evacuated to 20 relief centres in the district, followed by Hulu Terengganu (1,313 victims from 305 families) in 25 relief centres.

In Setiu, 1,199 victims from 344 families were evacuated to 20 centres, while 894 victims from 236 families in Besut were placed in 17 centres.

Dungun and Marang saw 555 victims from 121 families and 483 people from 108 families evacuated to 11 and 10 centres, respectively.