TELUK INTAN: All evacuees at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Pengkalan Ara flood relief centre in Labu Kubong here were allowed to return home today.
Hilir Perak district officer Shahrunaim Radzali said all 38 flood victims have left the facility, adding that the Civil Defence Force (APM) and People’s Volunteer Corps (RELA) will be available to lend a helping hand as a massive clean up session is to be expected.
He said the centre was closed at 1.30pm after all nine families left the temporary shelter.
Meanwhile, another flood relief centre at Sekolah Agama Rakyat (SAR) Kampung Padang Serai in Pantai Remis, Manjung is still open with 71 evacuees from 17 families taking shelter.
One of the victims, Ahmadi Awang Kasa, 46, said he never expected the water level to be higher this year compared to the previous year.
“The water reached our knees and I have to move my family out on Saturday at 6pm.
“So, I brought my wife and my son here. Luckily, my other children are not staying with us as they are studying in colleges elsewhere,” he said.
Ahmadi said the flooding started two weeks ago.
“This is not my first time experiencing this. But we don’t really know when it will flood. We just have to be prepared. The house has been flooded since Nov 15. I have to move to the relief centre as I can’t use even use the toilet at home.
“Fortunately, I have kept our important documents in a safe place. However, I have to keep going back to my house to check on the condition and whether the furniture that I have placed on higher ground is safe,” he said, adding that the condition at the relief centre is good and the food supply was sufficient.
It was reported yesterday that the number of flood victims at the flood relief centres in two districts in Perak rose to 109 compared to 88 people on Sunday.
However, one of the centres was closed yesterday and the evacuees has been allowed to return home.