Wednesday January 2, 2013

Wet and drizzly start to first week of school

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians can expect a wet and drizzly start to the first school week of the year, while the Meteorological Department has issued a heavy rain warning for several districts in Terengganu and Pahang.

The department has upgraded its heavy rain advisory (yellow stage) to warning level (orange stage) on Monday, saying that heavy and intermittent rain would persist over Dungun and Kemaman in Terengganu and Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin in Pahang.

“This condition will cause floods over low-lying areas,” it said on its website.

The areas likely to be affected by heavy rain (yellow stage) are Kelantan (Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kota Baru, Bachok, Pasir Puteh, Kuala Krai, Tanah Merah and Machang); Terengganu (Besut, Setiu, Kuala Terengganu, Marang dan Hulu Terengganu); Perlis (Padang Besar, Kangar and Arau); Kedah (Baling, Sik, Kubang Pasu and Padang Terap); and Johor (Kluang, Mersing and Kota Tinggi).

“Malaysia has been experiencing the northeastern monsoon since late October and this is expected to continue until early March,” it said.

Isolated thunderstorms are also expected throughout the week in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, while intermittent rain or isolated showers are also expected in other states.

Meanwhile, the number of flood victims at evacuation centres in Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang has dropped to 192 as at 6pm yesterday compared with 3,171 on Monday.

The National Security Council portal (portalbanjir.mkn.gov.my) reported that victims were housed at nine evacuation centres in Pasir Puteh, Kuantan, Besut and Hulu Terengganu.

Sixteen roads in Terengganu remain closed due to floods and two roads in Hulu Langat, Selangor, have been closed due to landslides.

The floods have so far claimed six lives in Terengganu and one in Negri Sembilan.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahidi has announced that at least 20,000 soldiers have been placed on standby to offer assistance in the event of another round of floods.

News

Wednesday January 2, 2013

Wet and drizzly start to first week of school