ALOR STAR: More flood evacuees are allowed to return home in Kedah and Perlis today, with only 17 relief centres left to shelter a total of 2,148 victims in both states.
In Kedah, two schools, namely SK Seri Banai in Jitra and SK Bukit Hijau which were closed yesterday due to flood last week, have been reopened today.
Checks at SK Seri Banai showed that not all of its 289 pupils were present, as some of them are still seeking refuge at nearby flood relief centres.
As at 4pm today, only 11 relief centres are still operating in Kedah, seven of them in Kota Setar district, two in Pokok Sena district and each one in Pendang and Kubang Pasu.
The Muda Agriculture Development Authority (Mada) volunteers unit, Kortani, today lent heir hands to help cleaning works at houses in Kampung Sungai Baru and Kampung Titi Pondok Tanjung Bedil which were affected by the flood.
The volunteers cleaned the surau, kindergartens and also some houses in both villages.
The team also cleaned up debris trapped under bridges along Sungai Baru to improve the river's water flow.
Meanwhile, E-Idaman Sdn Bhd's Corporate Communications Division chief Erni Nerina Awang Salleh said the company has placed garbage bins at all evacuation centres to facilitate the clean-up works.
She added that E-Idaman is also prepared to deploy more manpower and equipment for cleaning up programmes, should there is any request from local authorities or the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation Malaysia (SWCorp).
Meanwhile in KANGAR, only six flood relief centres remained opened while the other 19 have been closed as at 3pm today.
A total of 886 from 248 families evacuees were currently seeking shelters at the centres.