Malaysia flood update: Evacuee numbers dip slightly in three worst-affected states

HIDIR REDUAN AND BERNAMA New Straits Times 31 Jan 17;

KUANTAN: Pahang – the state worst-affected by nationwide floods – has seen further improvement as of 9am this morning, with the number of evacuees currently at 4,122 people from 1,115 families at 65 relief centres.

This is in comparison to 8pm last night, when there were 4,344 evacuees from 1,154 families at 69 relief centres.

Pahang Civil Defence Force (APM) director Colonel Zainal Yusoff confirmed the latest tally, adding that Temerloh is still the district with the highest number of evacuees at 1,423 people from 363 families.

Other districts still dealing with flood victims include Pekan, with 1,116 evacuees from 309 families, Maran (1,055), Bera (490) and Rompin (38).

According to Bernama, things are also looking up in JOHOR, with the number of victims in the state down to 1,390 as of 8am today, compared to 1,473 victims at 8pm last night.

Chairman of the State Committee on Health and Environment, Datuk Ayub Rahmat, said the evacuees comprise 384 families who are staying at 22 temporary relief centres in the districts of Segamat, Tangkak and Muar.

He said that 53 relief centres out of the 70 in Segamat, and 14 out of the 15 in Tangkap have been closed.

However, 982 victims from 264 families in Segamat and 25 victims from six families in Tangkak have yet to be allowed to return home.

"In Muar, there are 383 victims from 114 families who are still at four relief centres," he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, five major roads in the state are still inaccessible, namely Jalan Pogoh-Tekam and Jalan Balai Badang-Mensudut Lama in Segamat; Jambatan Jalan Kampung Sungai Pinggan in Pontian; and Kilometer 61 of Jalan Muar-Labis and Jalan Pagoh Tekam in Muar.

Bernama reports that things are status quo in Perak, where the number of flood evacuees as of 8am today remains at 407, the same count from last night.

According to the Welfare Department's Flood Portal, there are 182 victims in Hilir Perak, with 97 of them staying at the Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sungai Kerawai, while 85 are taking shelter at SK Changkat Jong Batu 8.

Meanwhile, in the Manjung district, 208 victims are staying at Sekolah Agama Rakyat Padang Serai.

In the district of Larut, Matang and Selama, the number of victims staying at the Surau Padang Serai Dalam relief centre remains at 21.