BUKIT MERTAJAM, Oct 27 ― The number of flood victims in Penang still staying in the temporary evacuation centres (PPS) have dropped to 147 today compared to 153 last night.
Chairman of the Penang Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee, Phee Boon Poh said those still staying in three centres comprised members of 39 families.
Speaking here today, Phee said as of this morning, 71 flood victims were staying at the Tok Suboh People’s Housing Project community hall, 26 at the Kampung Manggis Kemas Kindergarten and 50 at the Taman Sukun community hall.
“The homes of all the victims are still flooded with between 0.2 metres to 0.4 metres of water following heavy rain in the afternoons in the Bukit Mertajam area.
He said the situation is worsened by flood waters from Kulim, Kedah, which has also been hit by heavy rains in the afternoons and nights.
The weather in Bukit Mertajam is currently clear but the Meteorological Department forecasts heavy rain in the afternoon for several areas in Penang, including Bukit Mertajam.
In Perak, another PPS was opened in the Hilir Perak district today, bringing the number to three PPS in three districts in the state so far.
According to a statement from the Perak State Disaster Management Committee, the latest PPS was opened in Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Changkat Jong, Teluk Intan to accommodate 60 flood victims from 13 families.
“The centre which was recently closed on Thursday was re-opened at 7.30pm yesterday,” it said.
The statement also said as of this morning, the number of flood victims at the PPS in Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Changkat Lobak, Jalan Selama in the Kerian district remained at 124 people from 29 families.
Meanwhile, in Selangor, the number of flood victims in Kuala Selangor continued to increase, with 661 members of 185 families currently placed at several PPS in the district.
According to a spokesman of the Smart Selangor Command Centre (SSCC), there are currently four PPS open in Kuala Selangor to accommodate the victims.
He said the latest PPS was Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Ijok which was opened up yesterday afternoon at about 4pm, and now has 32 people from 10 families staying there.
He added that the number of flood victims placed at the PPS in SK Parit Mahang has increased to 492 from 138 families, while the number at the Desa Coalfields Kuala Selangor District community hall remained at 89 people from 22 families.
According to Selangor Fire and Rescue Operations assistant director Hafisham Mohd Noor, the high tide situation which was expected to occur along Selangor coastal areas from early this morning is under control.
“We have not received any reports of broken bunds caused by the high tide this morning,” he said.
In Johor, the number of flood victims increased to 91 people from 21 families, with the PPS in Pontian district re-opened.
Chairman of the state Local Authority, Urban Well-Being and Environment committee Tan Chen Choon said as of 8am today, the Sekolah Kebangsaan Melayu Raya PPS has residents from five villages since it was opened at 6.45pm yesterday.
He said the victims were residents of Kampung Melayu Raya, Kampung Paya Embun, Kampung Maju Jaya, Kampung Sepakat Jaya and Kampung Pak Khalid. ― Bernama
