KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 —Terengganu and Kelantan continued to record an increase in the number of flood evacuees while more temporary relief centres (PPS) were also opened as of 5 pm today.
In Terengganu, the number of evacuees rose to 5,776 people from 1,478 families at 4 pm compared to 4,094 people from 996 families at 7 am today.
Terengganu State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat chief Lieutenant Colonel (PA) Che Adam A Rahman said 13 more relief centres had been opened, taking the total number of PPS operating in the state to 46.
“The worst affected district is Kemaman, where the number of evacuees rose to 4,729 people from 1,135 families compared to 3,698 people from 867 families this morning. However, the number of relief centres in Kemaman remained at 25,” he told reporters today.
In Dungun, the number of evacuees also increased to 326 people from 95 families at seven PPS compared to 182 people from 57 families at four relief centres in the morning.
Che Adam said that in Hulu Terengganu, 710 people from 245 families had been placed at 13 PPS, an increase from the 212 people from 71 families at three PSS this afternoon.
The number of evacuees in Setiu also increased to 11 people from three families compared to two families at one PPS earlier.
Meanwhile, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), through its portal http://infobanjir.water.gov.my, reported that five rivers in four districts had exceeded the danger level as of 4 pm today.
In Kemaman, Sungai Tebak at the Tebak Bridge had a reading of 19.55 metres (m) (danger level 18.5m) while Sungai Kemaman in Air Putih was at 14.25m (danger level 14m).
Three rivers in Hulu Terengganu also exceeded the danger level, with Sungai Telemong in Kuala Ping at 20.58m (danger level 19.7m); Sungai Nerus in Kampung Bukit, Setiu at 13.23m (danger level 13.2m); and Sungai Dungun in Jerangau Bridge at 12.69m (danger level 12.5m).
In Kelantan, the number of evacuees at 25 relief centres increased to 851 people from 233 families as of 5 pm compared to 531 victims this morning.
According to the state’s Welfare Department online flood portal, of the three affected districts, Pasir Mas had the most number of victims, with 452 people from 139 families at nine shelters; followed by Kuala Krai (231 victims from 57 families at seven centres) and Tanah Merah (168 people from 37 families at nine centres).
The DID website also reported that two rivers in Kelantan had exceeded the danger level as of 5 pm today.
Sungai Galas in Limau Kasturi, Gua Musang recorded a reading of above 60m (danger level 59m) while Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang recorded a reading of 10.42m (danger level 10m).
Meanwhile, three rivers had exceeded the warning level, namely Kusial Baru in Tanah Merah (15.16m, (danger level 15.1m); Sungai Kelantan in Kusial Tanah Merah (15.88m, danger level 14m); and Sungai Golok in Jenob Tanah Merah (23.3m, danger level 22.5m).
Another three rivers in the state had exceeded the alert level, namely Kg Sungai Nal, Kuala Krai (23.69m, alert level 23.5m); Sungai Kelantan in Kota Bharu Customs Jetty (3.33m, alert level 3m); and Sungai Golok in Kuala Jambu, Tumpat (2.01, alert level 2m). — Bernama