BUKIT MERTAJAM: Five hours of continuous rain in the state since yesterday afternoon caused flooding in several low-lying areas.
The heavy rain was further compounded with the high tide phenomenon, causing water to rise quickly, flooding homes in the Seberang Prai Utara (SPU) and Seberang Prai Tengah (SPT) districts.
As the situation worsened by late evening, affected families were evacuated from their homes and moved to temporary flood relief centres.
As of this morning, four temporary flood relief centres were opened, housing some 89 flood victims.
State Welfare and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the four temporary flood relief centres were Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Pengkalan Jaya and Sekolah Agama Labuh Banting in the SPU district; SK Sri Penanti and the Dewan Orang Ramai Bukit Teh in the SPT district.
He said flash floods started to hit the affected areas at about 9pm but the temporary flood relief centres only opened about three hours later after the water did not recede.
"As of this morning, 42 people from 10 families were placed at Sekolah Agama Labuh Banting while 25 people from eight families at SK Pengkalan Jaya.
"At the Dewan Orang Ramai Bukit Teh, there were 15 people from four families while at SK Sri Penanti, there were seven people from two families," he said.
Currently, Phee said the weather was cloudy in several areas.
"There will be high tide at about 1pm, which may cause low-lying areas to be flooded if it rains heavily.
"The police are monitoring the situation at the flood hotspots and major roads so they can spring into action if there is flooding," he added.
Meanwhile, state Fire and Rescue Department operation officer Shariff Md Rais said they managed to rescue a disabled man and two children who were trapped in the flash flood in Machang Bubok last night.
"The disabled man, in his 40s, was rescued as he was trapped inside his house in Taman Jambu while the two children, aged 4 and 12, were trapped at their babysitter's house in Kampung Berangan 9.
"The water level was about 0.5m due to overflowing from nearby rivers," he said.