Water woes: Residents using a boat to evacuate a flooded area in Kampung Nibong.
KUALA LUMPUR: The flood situation in Kelantan and Terengganu has worsened, with more victims evacuated to temporary relief centres (PPS), while Johor has been hit by floods again following heavy rain.
In Kelantan, the number of flood evacuees rose to 882 yesterday morning involving 267 families housed at 19 PPS, compared with 482 people on Sunday night.
The Disaster Info Portal of the Social Welfare Department said Tanah Merah district recorded the highest number of evacuees at 633 people from 208 families housed at 13 PPS.
This was followed by Kuala Krai with 165 people from 38 families at four PPS, and Machang with 84 people from 21 families at two PPS, Bernama reported.
The Irrigation and Drainage Department’s Public Infobanjir portal reported that the level of Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang is at 9.11m, exceeding the danger level. Two rivers in Tanah Merah are at warning levels – Sungai Golok in Kampung Jenob at 23.16m and Sungai Sokor at 22.49m.
In Terengganu, the number of evacuees rose to 651 from 177 families yesterday compared with 112 people from 37 families on Sunday night.
The State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat reported that Hulu Terengganu recorded the highest number of evacuees at 412 from 111 families.
This is followed by Besut (228 people from 61 families) and Kemaman (11 people from five families).
It said all of them were housed at 17 PPS and that the number of evacuees is expected to rise as rainfall continues in several areas of the state.
According to the Public Infobanjir portal, only Sungai Telemong in Kuala Ping (F1) station in Hulu Terengganu is at danger level, at 20.89m.
The levels of Sungai Tebak at Jambatan Tebak, Kemaman; Sungai Terengganu at Rumah Pam Pulau Bahagia (F1), Kuala Terengganu; and Sungai Nerus at Kampung Bukit, Setiu; are at warning levels.
Three men watching the rising water level in Kampung Nibong. — Bernama
Meanwhile, floods have forced the closure of stretches of a federal and state road in Machang to all traffic, according to the Public Works Department (JKR).
Kelantan JKR director Nik Soh Yaacoub said FT 479 Jalan Kemuning-Bukit Belah and D16 Jalan Batu 30-Temangan were inundated.
“Landslides occurred on the access road to the VHF station at Bukit Bakar and FT 008 Jalan Kota Baru-Gua Musang near Dataran Bukit Belah.
“JKR has placed warning signs and barricades at the affected locations to ensure road users exercise caution and adhere to the established rules to prevent any untoward incidents,” he said.
Nik Soh added that they could utilise alternative routes and visit the website https://bencana.jkr.gov.my/ for further updates on the current situation, including road closures and landslides in the affected areas.
In Johor, 12 people from Kampung Baru Sungai Mas in Kota Tinggi district were evacuated to a relief centre in Dewan Kampung Baru Sungai Mas yesterday.State disaster management committee chairman Tan Sri Dr Azmi Rohani said the water level of Sungai Ulu Pontian Besar in Kampung Melayu Bukit Batu, Kulai, was at alert level with a reading of 11.49m.
On the weather update, he said three districts were reported to expect rain, namely Mersing, Kluang and Tangkak.
“Four other districts – Muar, Segamat, Kota Tinggi and Kulai – had cloudy weather while it was sunny in Johor Baru, Pontian and Batu Pahat,” he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a continuous rain warning at the alert level in Pahang and Johor.
The areas affected in both states are Pekan and Rompin (Pahang), as well as Mersing and Kota Tinggi (Johor).
It also said the monsoon surge is expected to occur from Jan 5-9 based on the analysis of the latest weather model.
“This can potentially lead to continuous rain in the east of the peninsula as well as north and south of Sarawak,” it added.
It advised the public to stay informed by checking the latest weather updates on MetMalaysia’s website, the myCuaca mobile application or the department’s official social media channels.
It was earlier reported that the northeast monsoon, which began on Nov 5, is expected to continue until March.
In January and February, heavy rainfall is likely in Pahang, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak.
