KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — The Kuantan City Council has called off tonight’s New Year’s Eve celebration in the aftermath of a recent flood that displaced thousands of residents and wrecked their homes and other buildings.
Council chief, Datuk Zulkifli Yaacob, was reported to have said the local authority made the last-minute cancellation in consideration of the feelings of the east coast city’s residents, who have been warned of a second wave of floods.
“Maybe the flood problem or situation after this disaster is only one factor and we are still on the watch for a second wave,” he was quoted saying by Malay daily, Sinar Harian.
Two days ago, the Pahang Meteorological Department warned Peninsular Malaysia’s largest state may be hit by a second wave of floods in the new year.
The city had also prepared a total of 67 flood relief centres to accommodate 20,415 people in case disaster strikes again.
The coastal state capital of Pahang was swamped by what residents believed to be its biggest floods in over 40 years earlier this month.
The floods also spilled over to neighbouring Terengganu, resulting in the evacuation of 13,237 people there on December 3, though those whose homes still remained standing have since returned.
