BALING: The federal government will build 21 houses for families in Kupang who lost their homes during the massive floods that ravaged 12 villages last Monday.
Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the houses would be built on a 1ha plot of land belonging to the Kedah Regional Development Authority (Keda) in Desa Keda Sadek.
"After a discussion with Baling member of parliament Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez, we have agreed to build the houses at this site.
"We are proposing to build 21 terrace houses to relocate the families. I was informed that 17 families either lost their homes or the house is 80 per cent damaged," he said after visiting the site today with Azeez.
Mahdzir said the ministry would allocate RM1.5 million for the project.
The site is about 5km from the affected villages.
Mahdzir said repairs on 400 other houses that were damaged during the disaster would begin tomorrow.
"We have discussed the repairs with the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) under the Prime Minister's Department.
"Based on the latest figures, more than 400 houses need repairs.
"The ministry will work with ICU and the Baling District Office to start the repairs. Giat Mara will also get involved with rewiring and electrical repairs," he said.
Mahdzir said repairs for each house would cost up to RM15,000.
On July 4, 12 villages were inundated after a water column gushed from Gunung Inas.
More than 800 homes were damaged in the worst floods in Kupang, with at least 17 houses destroyed and 18 badly damaged.
A woman who was four months into her first pregnancy was killed together with her mother-in-law and her 14-year-old brother-in-law when their house was swept away by the strong currents.