Floods hit Perlis and Kedah, threaten Kelantan

0

KANGAR: Floods have hit the northern states of Perlis and Kedah and are threatening to strike Kelantan as well.

WATER LEVEL GETTING HIGHER: Handful of villagers of Kampung Batu take a wait and see attitude even as the water is rising. — Bernama photo.

The floods, caused by heavy rainfall overnight, have forced more than 1,000 people to leave their homes in Perlis and Kedah.

In Kelantan, people in several low-lying areas have been advised to be prepared to evacuate.

In Perlis, as at 12.30pm yesterday, 286 people from 117 families in the northern part of the state had been moved to three relief centres — Sekolah Kebangsaan Batu Bertangkup, Sekolah Menengah Datuk Jaafar Hassan and the Titi Tinggi Hilir community hall, said a spokesman of the state welfare department flood operations room.

He said rain was still pouring in the state and rescue teams were preparing to move out more people.

A check by Bernama revealed that the worst-affected areas were Titi Tinggi, Panggas and Batu Bertangkup.

Several roads were also flooded, among them Jalan Kaki Bukit in Beseri and Jalan Titi Tinggi.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that all the six sluice gates of the Timah Tasoh Dam had been opened as the water level at the dam was rising.

In Kedah, 730 people from 195 families in 18 villages in Padang Terap District had been evacuated.

A spokesman of the Padang Terap District flood operations room, Nurul Aziati Ahmad Salmi, identified some of the villages as Kampung Mani A, Mani B, Mani C, Tanjung, Labi, Kuala Janing, Felcra Tualak, Bendang Raja and Padang Sanai.

She said 16 relief centres had been opened, including at the Mani A village hall, Mani B and Mani C village surau, Felcra Tualak hall and Kampung Padang Sanai hall.

“Some of the evacuees are putting up with relatives or have set up temporary shelter on high ground,” she said, adding that more evacuations were possible as it was still raining.

In Kelantan, people living on the banks of Sungai Golok in Jenob, Tanah Merah, and in Rantau Panjang have been advised to be prepared to evacuate as the level of the river had breached the danger point in several places.

An officer of the Kelantan Drainage and Irrigation Department, Shaari Harun, said the level at Jenob at 11am was 23.80 metres (danger level 23.50 metres).

The level of the river at Rantau Panjang was 8.75 metres, close to the danger level of nine metres, he said.

“Sungai Golok can burst its banks at any moment, and the people must be prepared to face floods,” he said.

He also said that heavy rain had caused flash floods in several areas of Kota Baharu District, such as Pasir Tumboh, Penambang, Kubang Bemban, Berek12 and Pasir Hor. — Bernama