SUNGAI PETANI, Sept 22 ― Flash floods have forced the evacuation of 461 people overnight to four relief centres in Kedah.

The evacuees, from 97 families, were moved to two centres in the Kuala Muda district and one each in Kota Setar and Kubang Pasu, said Capt (PA) Saifuddin Abdullah, coordinator of the Kedah Disaster Management Committee Secretariat.

He said 319 people from 67 families were moved out of their homes to Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Kechil in the Bukit Meriam mukim in Kuala Muda at 5pm yesterday.

"Thirty people from seven families were moved to the Kampung Jilid 8 hall in the Bujang mukim, also in Kuala Muda, at 8pm.

"Twenty people from four families are being housed at the Kampung Balai hall in the Kuala Kedah mukim in Kota Setar. They were moved there at 9pm,” he said in a statement today.

Saifuddin also said that a relief centre was opened at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Changloon in the Temin mukim in Kubang Pasu at 11.30pm to house 92 people from 19 families. ― Bernama