KOTA BARU, Jan 21 ― The number of flood victims in Kelantan increased to 7,036 people (2,030 families) as at 5pm today, from 4,345 people (1,182 families) at noon.

According to the Social Welfare Department, through its Infobanjir application, all the victims are provided temporary shelter at 53 evacuation centres in seven districts in the state.

Kota Baru district recorded the highest number of flood victims, totalling 2,362 people (728 families) at 18 evacuation centres, followed by Pasir Mas, involving 1,602 victims (455 families) at 19 centres and Pasir Puteh, 1,588 people (436 families) at nine centres.

A total of 803 people (226 families) have also been evacuated in Tumpat and they are being accommodated at two evacuation centres in the district, while in Bachok, 425 people (111 families) have been evacuated to a relief centre.

In Machang, 167 people (49 families) have been evacuated to two relief centres and in Tanah Merah, two centres have been opened to accommodate 89 flood victims (25 families).     

Meanwhile, according to the portal ebanjir.kelantan.gov.my, the water level of Sungai Golok in Rantau Panjang receded to 10.11 metres at 5pm, from 10.12m at noon. The warning level at the river is 9m.

The water in other major rivers is still at the normal level.            

In Kuala Terengganu, there is not much change in the flood situation, but there is a slight increase in the number of flood evacuees, from 2,358 people at noon to 2,680 people at 6pm.

Terengganu Civil Defence Force director Lieutenant Colonel Che Adam A Rahman said six new evacuation centres were opened, bringing the total to 66 in the state.

"In Besut, the number of victims showed a slight drop following the closure of an evacuation centre. The latest count is 1,233 victims from 316 families (32 evacuation centres).

"However in Setiu, another evacuation centre was opened with the number of evacuees increased to 872 people, from 809 people at noon.

"There are 227 families at the 21 evacuation centres in the district,” he said in a statement.

In Hulu Terengganu, the number of flood evacuees continues to increase to 493 people (152 families), compared with 222 victims (63 families) as at noon, with the opening of three more relief centres, bringing the total to eight in the district.

In Kemaman, 82 people (29 families) have sought shelter at five evacuation centres, from only 33 victims (12 families) at noon.

In Kota Kinabalu, 331 people (66 families) have been evacuated to the relief centre at Dewan Sekolah Kebangsaan Taritipan, Kota Marudu, after their village was inundated following rain since morning.      

Chief secretariat of the Sabah Disaster Management Committee, Colonel Mulliadi Al-Hamdi Ladin said the situation had forced the reopening of the evacuation, which was closed at 1 pm yesterday, at noon today.

"The Kota Marudu District Disaster Operations Control Center was also opened at 3 pm today,” he said in a statement here.

He said the water level at Sungai Bongon and Sungai Bandau had reached the warning level of 7.42 metres and 6.90 metres, respectively. ― Bernama