East coast states hit by floods, hundreds evacuated

KUALA LUMPUR - Continuous heavy rain in the east coast states of the Peninsula for the past two days, has caused flooding in several districts in Terengganu, Pahang and Kelantan.

In Terengganu, eight temporary evacuation centres (PPS) have been opened this morning, seven in Kemaman as well as one in Setiu, involving 383 people from 114 families.

The state Disaster Management Committee secretariat said a total of 191 individuals from 55 families were housed at PPS Kampung Teladas community hall, followed by Padang Kubu community hall (79 people, 26 families), Air Putih civic hall (50 people, 12 families), Kampung Dadong Mosque (seven people, two families), Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Lembah Jabor (seven people, two families), SK Air Putih (seven people, two families) and Padang Kemunting community hall (four people from one family).

"In Setiu, 38 individuals from 14 families are housed at the Balairaya Kampung Hulu Seladang,” it said in a statement.

In Kelantan, three PPS were opened, two in Tanah Merah and one in Kuala Krai, involving 52 people from 17 families as of 4 pm today.

The Social Welfare Department's (JKM) Disaster Info application reported that the two PPS, are SK Lawang and SK Klewek in Tanah Merah and Masjid Lama Keroh in Kuala Krai.

Meanwhile, the official portal for the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) through http://publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my, reported that three main rivers in Kelantan are at danger level, namely Sungai Lanas in Air Lanas showed a reading of 29.75 metres (m); Sungai Lebir in Kampung Tualang, Kuala Krai (37.54m) and Sungai Golok in Kampung Jenob, Tanah Merah (25.19m).

In Kuantan, the area in Kampung Bantal, Jerantut, next to Sungai Tembeling has been flooded since midnight last night but no PPS has been opened so far.

Kampung Bantal Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) secretary Zamzarina Manap said it involved several grocery stores, eateries and chalets.

Also, based on the DID website http://publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my, the water level in two rivers in Pahang has exceeded the alert level, namely Sungai Tembeling in Jerantut and Sungai Keratong in Rompin.

Yesterday, the Malaysian Meteorological Department said that a low-pressure system is expected to hit the border of Pahang and Terengganu this evening which then moves northwest across the Peninsula, which can cause continuous heavy rain and strong winds.

It also said that heavy rain and strong winds are expected to occur in most parts of the Peninsula until February 26, but the latest forecast showed the possibility of the system becoming a tropical depression is low. - BERNAMA